The cat is wearing a frog hat. What more do you want?

Believe it or not my post today has nothing to do with the adorable picture above, but I decided to insert it anyways because really.... I mean come on, the cat is wearing a frog hat.  I seriously want to buy something like that for my cat.  Haha.

Moving on, today is the 11th day of Nano.  More like the 11th day of madness and utter chaos.  And here I am blogging instead of writing more for STRONGER because I'm trying to find my place again.  I'm at the point where I am ranting and rambling about how my writing sucks, and by doing so I keep myself going.  I am not going to give up, but if I do complain now and then to my close friends and tell them that everything I write sucks that shouldn't come as a surprise.  After all, don't we all say that at some point or another?

On another note, writing has become breathing for me.  I find that when I cannot write I am thinking about writing, and when I cannot think about writing I am writing.  (Yes very repetitive.)  However, for me writing is seriously the only thing that keeps me from all together losing it.  I'm not talking about just Nano; I'm talking about when you're having a bad day or when there are negative matters going on around and in your life that will not be over any time soon and you feel like crying yourself to sleep... Yet instead you end up writing.  And believe me when I say it really can calm you down and ironically enough comfort you.

Now before you start asking me about Cursed with Power, I'll tell you now that I know I'm beyond being behind of schedule.  However, after rewriting chapter eight three times --yeah that was pure craziness--I have figured out how to --hopefully--finish the chapter and move onto chapter nine.  So for those of you who care, for those of you who know I'm writing something, and for those of you who read this post and said, "Oh she's writing a book?!" I will be moving onto chapter nine soon enough.  Be prepared for updates soon.

As for where I am in STRONGER and why every time I blog I seem to be procrastinating... That's because I am.  I procrastinate like there's no tomorrow once I run into a dead end with my book(s) because hey, hitting a wall hurts.  (Just kidding; I don't literally "run into" anything.)  It's a matter of focusing and finding my way back to Jocelyn's story.  It's very complex and so complicated.... *sighs* Hopefully many of you are getting further with your stories.

And for now that's all I shall ramble about.  Until later....

Be there for the magic: www.themagiciansseries.blogspot.com

Character Blog Mondays: Today with Kerrich

Character blog Mondays

Character Mondays are days on the blog in which a character "posts" to tell their opinion a matter or give their own account of something.  Take these posts for what they are, but they are really an even better way for you to open yourself up to new characters.  Characters are chosen from my projects; information about them is brought forth before they begin speaking as they shall.  Please remember during these posts the character --not me--is speaking his/her mind so you are able to introduce yourself to them.  Enjoy!

Name: Kerrich

Gender: Male

Age: 20

Status: In a relationship with Jocelyn

Current location of residence: Clare Castle

Occupation: Squire

Featured in the book(s): STRONGER

The book goes public December 1^st so join the mailing list if you want updates.

       I try to think of something that will comfort her, but my words seem meaningless.  Her own father does not believe her, and I as stand with this knife in my hand I wonder what I can do for her.  Is she angry with me?  I can understand if she is, for in these times of confusion and misunderstanding it seems all I’ve continued to tell her is of how far my feelings extend for her.

       As we stand in the darkness I try to think of something to say.  Anything that could make her feel better.  Something to reassure her.  Instead I say the only words that will leave my mouth.

       “You look ill, love.” I tell her this as if she does not already know. However, I am not exaggerating.  Her skin has turned deathly pale and she appears as if she might faint at any given moment.  I want to reach out to her, but I am uncertain whether she will allow me or no.

       She simply nods in agreement and walks over to where I stand.  She wraps her arms around me and I pull her in close to me.  I do not want to let her go, for now I fear what she must face.  Another attempt has been made to end her life.  By chance she had lived this time, but what about the next times?  What if someone—God forbid—tried again?

       “Do not leave me, dearest.” She pleads with me, though she speaking with her face rubbed against my tunic.

       “You need not say that, gemstone, for I shall never think to leave you even once.” I turned my face and pushed it into her auburn hair.

       “I love you.” I whispered.

       “I love you, too.” She titled my face towards hers and kissed me.  As our lips touched, shouting began…

It's only the 3rd day?! Kill me...Now.

Yes, bloggers, it is only the third day of Nano --or rather in this case it's the third night.  All the same, it seems like so much time has gone by since the beginning of Nano.  How are is your novel coming along?

Maybe at times you too are begging for someone to "kill" you because let's face it...there is a lot --a lot--of madness that comes into play once you get involved in Nano.  For those of you who just began this year I guess you're realizing that now.  And this year Nano has set up a system where they tell you how far ahead you are or how far behind you are.  Remember, it's only so it will drive you even more crazier.

And here comes the part where I start rambling off about my progress with STRONGER.  Obviously I should be writing more for it now, but my blogging addiction has kicked in and here I am while Jocelyn is waiting for me to write that Kerrich has given her a robe.  (Don't ask; it won't make sense to you.)
I actually have gotten much farther with my novel than in previous years with other novels.  I think this is primarily thanks to Kerrich.  Every time I have a problem where I don't know what to do next I can manage to weave him back into the story and he just puts magic into the scene.  Not literally, mind you, but figuratively.  I've actually become obsessed with going into the depths of him and Jocelyn's relationship which is forbidden and goes unnoticed.  Despite this, though, I have not turned what began as an action/adventure book into a "oh God they are about to do it" book.  NO.  I simply telling you that I do very much like the interactions they have with one another and thankfully that helps me move along with the plot in times when I am struggling.
So far in the book --no, no I am not giving away spoilers--Kerrich has given Jocelyn the dagger while she has discovered why she is a target for assassination.

However, as I said, currently I am at a point where Jocelyn is waiting for Kerrich to give her a robe so they can go into the courtyard.  (No, whatever you're thinking is the reason it's not.  Trust me; it's not.)

Best of luck to you and keep on writing!

Be there for the magic: www.themagiciansseries.blogspot.com

Do you have a life while Nano is going on?

It's a serious question I must ask because I think because of Nano this year I am coming to these conclusions:

• My computer will not talk back to me.  No matter what I yell at it or how I plead it to help me with what I'm writing the response is always the same...silence
• Words will not simply jump onto Word. I actually have to type them as them come to me. *dies a little*
• I use *dies* a lot --according to this guy I know I've died about 3000 something times in my 16 years of life. Wow, I have many more times to die. 
• Writing 10K for Certain Fate was already madness.  Writing 50K for STRONGER...there is no word to describe it.
• I cannot work on Cursed with Power and STRONGER during the same time.  I cannot even have both files open at the same time or it will entirely ruin my focus.
• Kerrich --a main character in STRONGER--enjoys mocking me...almost too much.  He telling me, "You say you'll get this chapter done but you've only having a sentence finished so far."
• The rest of my family does not understand what Nano is, nor do they seem to comprehend why I'm throwing my hands up in the air while typing.  

How are you getting through Nano?  What is driving you crazy and how are you still managing to have a life while participating in this?

Or, like me, has the writing become your life?  Where you simply must be typing or you find it hard to breathe...And when you cannot type because of matters like school and work you're thinking about when you next can asap so you won't lose that great scene that just came to you.

Keep on writing everyone!

Be there for the magic: www.themagiciansseries.blogspot.com

Nano 2010

I knew that Nano --more properly aka NaNoWriMo--was right around the corner, but when I got an email from the Nano staff today I realized it is coming really soon!  (Yeah, a lot of mixed reactions going on right now, isn't there)?
I've always loved sharing with people what my Nano selection is, and now since I have a blog I can tell all of you, my wonderful, followers, about my selection.
Hopefully this post won't bore you, but if it does please feel free to bore me just as much with your own post like this.

STRONGER is the story that takes a new lead on your typical damsel-in-distress.  Actually, it focuses on the idea of a princess being trained to not become a damsel-in-distress.  If you already think you are interested in this story, you might want to read on.  I'm going to give you the summary next.

To the public view Jocelyn was just a princess.  However, her family knew that she was not "just" an ordinary kind of princess.  She had been trained, and she had been trained well to defend herself.  She was the only heir left to the throne.

"You need to learn this, Jocelyn.  My lady, there won't be much time." Kerrich said.

"I know.  Adela already told me --Dalmas is sending someone to kill me.  I am ready now." Jocelyn said as Kerrich placed the long, thin dagger in her hand.

"There's no telling what they are going to do, dearest Jocelyn.  You are going to have to be careful.  You will have to be brave; do not fail us." He said, almost whispering.  Jocelyn could see that his checks were already getting wet.

"I shall be strong.  I shall not die." Jocelyn promised.

***

Jocelyn heard the door creak open.  She grabbed the dagger that she had placed  on her nightstand, but she remained lying in her bed.  A figure came over to where her bed was.  Its hand came down, holding a shining object, and Jocelyn screamed.  Then the knife went into skin...

The book is going to be an adventure/action/fantasy/mystery/romance kind of novel.  (Whoa, lots of genres there)!  I guess what really inspired me to think of this story was because in pretty much all stories that focus on princesses, the princess always gets kidnapped and then waits for someone to come and save her.  I am not saying anything is wrong with those kind of stories  because I love them as much as the next person.  All I am saying is that here I will try a new tactic.  A new angle.

I chose this story back in May of this year, and so hopefully I will end up staying with this as my Nano selection.  I did have another story I was considering, but I think it would be less of an adventure for myself to write.

Last year I began Nano with a story called Legendary Mordred.  It was going great until I forgot to save the first chapter and the second chapter overwrote it.  Oh, I can't tell you what a mess that was!  I would love to try and write that story again, but I do not believe this year I will attempt to because remembering the good parts I did write for that story is not going to suddenly come to me. 

The book I ended up writing last year was A Shimmering Moon which I can tell you in honesty was not really that good.  First off, it sucked because I did not know what the ending was going to be.  I did not even know half the time what was going to happen next in the chapters themselves.  There were really only two characters I get deeply focused on and both of them were rather... plain?  Boring?  Which explains why I did not make it to 50,000 words with that novel.

Of course, I suppose if I finish Cursed with Power I could write New Life for Nano, but I doubt that is going to happen.  Besides, then I would be getting into the second book of the Magicians series without even having finished the first book correctly and so forth.  (I know no one else will mind, but it will bother me).

Take my advice and write a story you will stay interested in!