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

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

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

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)