Monday, November 7, 2011

the secret life of a habitual procrastinator

I have a ten page report due on Friday- MLA style. (Did your ears just close up in protest?) Needless to say, I'm procrastinating. At this moment in time I could be doing something much more productive, but no...I'm writing a blog post instead of my paper. Do you see where my priorities lie? Some day in the future, life will be grand. I will have no more MLA papers to work on and I'll finally have that degree I'm only seven classes away from. I will have all the time in the world for writing and posting on this blog....sigh.

I watched that show "The Lottery Changed my Life" earlier this evening (more attempts at procrastination) and they did a segment on this woman who wrote down the number "112 million" on a piece of paper, folded it up and slipped it under her pillow. She won the California lotto at exactly 112 million. She believes she manifested the money. Tonight I think I will write down on a piece of paper "Formal paper due date extended until next week"...hmm....I suppose this cycle would simply start over again come next week though. So scratch that. I will write "Formal paper canceled. Only counts for extra credit". That would be awesome. Then I could focus on writing the sequel to Wanderlove. Anyway, I'll keep you guys posted and let you know how the paper thing works...;)


In other news, I read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and loooooved it. Michelle Hodkin is simply ahhmazing. I do not have enough words to express how much I enjoyed this book! Easily, I could say it has been the best book I've read this year. One reason: Noah Shaw. And you will love him too, so go pick up this read asap!

Monday, October 17, 2011

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Apparently, I am one of the last people to read The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. Most active YA readers are reading/ have read up to The Iron Knight. Anyway, I liked it. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was still pretty good.

Things I liked: The Creativity! Ms. Kagawa must have one active imagination. The Fey world she created was insane, but at the same time it was perfect. It was exactly how you'd imagine a Fey world should be. It was almost like Alice's "Wonderland" on crack. Also, Meghan wasn't an awful MC. She was likeable. Lately, I've encountered some really annoying female protagonists, but Meghan wasn't of that mold. Grim was my favorite character though. Grim was made of awesomeness. He reminded me of a toss up between the Chesire cat and Garfield. Finally, Ash was a pretty great object of affection. He was oh so mysteriouso.

Things I didn't like so much: The pacing felt too quick, speedy-ish. Not in the best sort of way either. Maybe it was called for in a book about faeries, I don't know, I just felt like there could have been more time for character development. (Insignificant spoiler alert ahead) Also, in one scene Meghan goes from kitchen duty for days on end to partying it up at the faery ball? I was scratching my head at that. If that happened in real life, the girl would have been knocked out asleep until the next day. Just sayin'.

Overall, it was a cute story. I will probably pick up the next in the series. I've heard they get even better from here.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

the best thing in the whole world

I have something to admit...

I was a closet writer for a very long time. And when I say a very long time, I mean years. I didn’t want anyone to know what I was doing with my spare time or why I liked it so much. Well, I finally figured out why. I realized that I’ve been so fearful about exposing my work. I mean, I thought I could write pretty well. But maybe the rest of the world wouldn't think so too. What if I was really awful and I was clouded by my own judgment? Like the singers people make fun of on American Idol, who truly believe they have talent, but should only be singing in the shower- I wasn’t one of those people was I?

That thought was unnerving, definitely. There isn’t anything else I want to do with my life. I don’t have another passion just as strong. So instead, I kept my writing a secret and gave myself the whole “one day” mental speech, where I promised myself that I would expose my writing when the time was right. Sidenote: I'm a perfectionist and a procrastinator, and those two traits do not go together in harmony. Anyway, I’ve faced my fears since then, but this is not exactly the point of the story.

The real point is that lately I’ve been receiving positive feedback about my work. Granted, I’m still a fairly new author, so I haven’t received a ton of feedback. But so far, I’ve been amazed each time it happens. And the very first time I read something nice from someone, I actually became a little teary-eyed- which is totally embarrassing and I definitely shouldn’t be revealing it here. But it happened. And it was the best feeling in the whole world. For me, it validated the hard work I put into writing Wanderlove. And it made me feel like I touched someone’s life, even if it was only in a small way. That was all I ever wanted from the moment I picked up a pen in grade school, scribbling secret stories in my notebook. I hope I can continue to do it again and again and again. Because it really is the best feeling in the entire world.

Quote of the day:
"We can do no great things, only small things with great love." ~Mother Teresa

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Aloha, friends!

Today I am going to give you my thoughts on a recent book I read. Please don't mistake this for a review. My ramblings just aren't as streamlined as a real review would be. However, I still like to share...:)



Book: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
Pages: 352
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Available Formats: Hardcover / Ebook
Publication Date: June 7th, 2011
How Did I Get This Book:  Purchased


Description: As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls and invisible boys. Now at 16, he is reeling from the old man's unexpected death. Then Jacob is given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to the remote Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’ assertion that all were killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his grandfather’s childhood, he suspects he is being trailed by a monster only he can see. A haunting and out-of-the-ordinary read, debut author Ransom Rigg’s first-person narration is convincing and absorbing, and every detail he draws our eye to is deftly woven into an unforgettable whole. Interspersed with photos throughout, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a truly atmospheric novel with plot twists, turns, and surprises that will delight readers of any age.

At a glance: Right away readers are intrigued by the cover of this book. It practically sells itself with the imagery it draws from the use of eerie, old photographs.

Opening Scene: Jacob’s grandfather calls him at work in a frenzied panic, and states that "they" are coming for him. He asks Jacob for the key to his gun room. The grandfather is perhaps delusional (we don't known at this point). Overall, it's an intriguing start! The story enthralled me from the first page.

MC: Jacob is curious, unabashed and brave. I liked his draw to his grandfather’s past. I enjoyed his relentlessness to see his journey through to the end. He also possesses a believable sense of humor one would expect of a teenage boy.

My Thoughts: It was extremely easy for me to relate to Mr. Rigg’s first novel. My grandfather also loved to spin fantastical stories to keep me entertained as a child. I think we all have one of those charismatic family members, who can almost make you believe the stories they weave. With that said, I enjoyed how the author created an entire world from this type of premise.


At first readers will believe the story to be akin to horror/ mystery. However, the story takes a surprising turn which reveals Miss Peregrine’s to be more of a fantasy. For the most part, the story is fast-paced (except for a few parts in the middle). Also, the imagery is drawn out nicely, especially the descriptions of the island and the peculiars abilities.

Downfalls: I only have a few downfalls to point out (which are easily redeemed by the rest of the story). The middle lagged a little. But it picked up again as soon as Jacob learns who his enemies are. Also, I thought there could have been more in the way of character development. I would have liked to have known more about Emma. She was very one dimensional to me.

Aside from those minor issues, I was very entertained by Mr. Rigg's first novel. His narrative flows very smoothly and the descriptions allowed me to envision his settings perfectly. The photographs only enhanced the novel and did not detract from it in any way.

Favorite Quote: “...so one day my mother sat me down and explained that I couldn't become an explorer because everything in the world had already been discovered. I'd been born in the wrong century, and I felt cheated.”

P.S. I wanted to do a rating scale with this fairy. I think she's cute :~)


4/5
 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

the redeeming qualities

My favorite part of writing is before I ever begin. I love bouncing ideas back and forth in my head. It's usually late at night when this happens, mind you, and I always regret it the next morning. But it's so exciting. There are so many possibilities, so many avenues to explore. The best part is hearing the characters speak to each other. If the conversation is dull and lifeless, I'll add a new character trait to give the people in my head some sparks. More than likely, it's a flaw that I'll add.

Right now, I am completely enamored by the character Damon from The Vampire Diaries. His character is inspiring me to create someone like him for a novel. And yes, I realize I'm the last one to be catching onto this fantastic series (I'm only reaching the beginning of season two), but it took me convincing to watch. I wasn't exactly sold at first, not sure why. Maybe I figured that copycats of Twilight would never win me over- which is why I still refuse to read any new Vamp stuff in literature. Now, of course, I'm obsessed with the show, which is making me re-think reading those other Vamp novels.

Anyway, back to the point. I realized something today as I was inspired by Damon. I realized that the quintessential “bad” or “evil” characters are always my favorite. This happens with a lot of t.v. shows. I made a list (because I'm slightly neurotic) nonetheless, here it is:
  • Damon, The Vampire Diaries
  • Amber, from Teen Mom- She’s a nut case, but she’s the most entertaining.
  • Ronnie and Sam, Jersey Shore- Why, God, Why do I root for them to be together?
  • Sue Sylvester, Glee
  • Sawyer, Lost
  • And here’s the worst of the worst…Theodore “T-bag” Bagwell, Prison Break. I know it’s awful, but he cracked me up.
I think that these so called “bad” characters or villains are interesting to me because of what redeems them. Sometimes, it’s simply humor. Sometimes, it’s the one decent quality they possess. I just like them better. And I've noticed they show their ugly faces a lot in my writing. But by the time I get done with them, they’ve learned some sort of lesson. Or maybe they’ve done a complete 180.

Is something wrong with me? Do I have some kind of subconscious baggage which keeps bringing me to these characters? Why can’t I just learn to love the good guy- the Indiana Jones, the Luke Skywalker or the Jack Shephard of our time? What was ever wrong with those people?

Quote of the day:

"I will go to the animal shelter and get you a kitty cat. I will let you fall in love with that kitty cat. And then, on some dark cold night, I will steal away into your home and punch you in the face." - Sue Sylvester, Glee

Friday, September 23, 2011

book blogging

So I have been exploring the world of book blogging lately and I had absolutely no idea how large the community is. I was amazed. There are a lot of freakin' book bloggers out there. And this makes me ridiculously happy. Now I know there are many more obsessive readers like me :) Anyway, I am going to start reviewing books too. I don't want to start with any I've already read, even though that list is super long. It just won't feel right. I'm reading The Iron King by Julie Kagawa right now. And although it's been out for a while, I might start with it to get my feet wet.

Also, I just want to thank the people who have purchased my book on amazon.com. I'm just getting started as a self-published author and I love the support this community as shown me so far. If you have read Wanderlove, please feel free to leave me any thoughts or comments. I welcome them with open arms.

Belle

Quote of the day:

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” --Sarah Ban Breathnach

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Wanderlove

I am excited to announce the release of my first novel, Wanderlove. It is up for sale on amazon.com for $0.99 cents. I like that price. It's the lowest they let you go and I know I'd be willing to try something new if it only cost a buck. Anyway, here is the cover and description:


Lola Moori is hiding a secret she doesn't know she's keeping.

She begins to remember someone. Someone important. His name is Gabe…and whatever they shared, she could feel that it was epic.

Yet it seems Gabe wanted her to forget him. Forever.

The curse that repressed Lola’s memories for the span of several lifetimes is coming undone. But unfortunately for Lola, she discovers there are some secrets better left buried.


So yep...that's it. I'm really excited about it. There have been some bumps in the road (especially with formatting), but I'm finally seeing a finished project. And this amazes me. I hope you guys like it and please feel free to let me know what you think! :)

Belle

Quote of the day:

"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Monday, September 19, 2011

Hello, my very own blog!

So for as long as I can remember, my primary hobbies incorporated one of two things: reading or writing. I've always known that I wanted to be a writer. And I've always known that I am a writer. I mean, that's what I do, right? But I've never been officially given that title. No one has ever handed me a name tag that says, "Belle Malory, Writer", and yet I've been writing my entire life. For anyone wondering, my name tag actually reads, "Belle Malory, E-communications Specialist". It's a fancy title for "She writes boring stuff for real money". Truth be told, I want the other name tag, even if it's just a metaphor.

In the past, I'd write the beginnings of stories and would never finish them, only dreaming of ever seeing my books in print. I kept putting it off, over and over again. "One day..." I would say to myself. After all, it would be too hard right now. I work full-time, go to school, etc. But something clicked inside my head this past January. I told myself I was going to buckle down and publish a book- this year. I declared my New Years resolution and was determined to see it through. My entire work ethic changed. And amazingly, I finished Wanderlove. And I'm very, very proud of it.

So why self-publish, you ask? Simply put, because I want to share my stories with anyone who will read them. I don't want to waste all the time it takes to find that perfect agent or perfect publishing house. I don't want to wait years before I see anything in print. I want to do it now. I want my words to mean something to someone who doesn’t know me. Sure, it would be nice if I can eventually make an income that way. And I'm not going to lie, it would be an absolute fairy tale to be traditionally published and to see my books in an actual store. But until then, I'll settle for just one person who likes something I've written. It would seriously be the most incredible thing in the world.

Belle

Motivational quote of the day:

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him" - Buddha. (The Secret)