Live, Learn, Write

Have you ever struggled with describing emotions?

Have you ever thought about why you might struggle?

Sometimes, I do.  But recently, I discovered how to overcome that.  Here's how it started.  I did something embarrassing!  This might be an everyday thing for some people, but it's not for me.  I don't really get embarrassed that often. 

Would you like to know what embarrassed me?  I'll tell you, but there's just one thing to keep in mind, though.  I say weird things.  I do.  I'm kind of weird.  Does it bother me?  Not usually.  I figure life's much more enjoyable and filled with laughter when it's a little weird.  It's so much better than being boring.  Any level of boring.

Anyway, while I was at a bridal shower, I said something weird.  And it was only embarrassing because of the way other's reacted.  I made a joke about how I knew the bride and the only reaction I got was a couple dozen wide eyes on overly confused faces.  Really.  It was the wrong crowd.  

More importantly is how I felt.  My face was on fire!  Instantly.  It sought escape throughout my body and left a sizzling wake in its path.  The heat spread from my head to the tip of my fingers and toes.  I tried to smooth it over quickly so they could move onto the next person.  Then I sank back and just hoped that I blended in the chair, wall, carpet, anything.  The worst part about the whole embarrassing situation was that the fire continued to rage throughout my body for the rest of the party.  My ears felt like glowing embers.  I couldn't get everyone's faces out of my head.  I thought about my comment over and over and over again.  For the next three hours!

So, the next time I write about a character who has been embarrassed, I will REALLY know how they felt.  And I love that.  

Live and learn.  

Of course, we might not need to live everything.  I'm not sure I want to go out and become a mass serial killer or cheat on my husband by flirting with another man.  I don't do those things.  I kind of live life on the good side and I'm very much in love with my husband.  

How can we learn then?  Watch movies, read books, and most importantly, learn from others.  I don't know a lot of vampires, fairies, smurfs, magicians, or human computers (although some people I know certainly come close), but just the other day I got to listen to a full report from a very good friend about her love life.  

I soaked in every detail and felt her excitement.  I put myself in her shoes and let the happiness and love permeate my whole body.  It was just like living it.  My emotions got all tied up in the story.  Now when I want to add a little flirty fresh look to a lovey scene, I can remember the giggle that just wouldn't stay down.  Or the chills that shook my shoulders and the excitement that hurt my cheeks from the smiles.  My adrenaline made me hungry for more and my heart thumped wildly just at the thought of them being together.  

Live it.  Learn it.  Write it.


What do you do when you're stuck writing an emotion?

Come meet Colene Murphy, an Aspiring Author

You might be wondering who Colene Murphy is.  Well, look no further, at least not until you're done reading here ;)  I was lucky enough to interview Colene this week and here's the start to what you'll learn about her from her blog.

 Hi!

You know my name by now (I sure hope since you have gotten this far) but you can just call me Colene. That's fine.

I am a writer of YA fantasy/paranormal/ horror/ umm...okay. That's it at the moment. I have one finished rough draft, one being polished and is almost done, and a ton of ideas ready for some TLC. I love to write. Nothing has ever freed me like writing. Nothing has ever stolen my heart so completely as writing(don't tell the hubs).

I have written since I was little but didn't become serious about it until 2008. 2009 I began to think this crazy thing might actually work! 

I'm glad she decided it might actually work because now we have a chance to get to learn more about her story and the journey she's had!  

Let's go right to the questions.

First off, how long have you been writing, Colene?

A little over 2 years.

And, what made you want to write?

Honestly, I can't remember what made me want to start writing to get published. I have written for fun on and off since I was younger but mostly stories with no ending, angsty teen poetry junk, and none of it ever stuck. For some reason 2 years ago, I guess I just decided to suck it up and see if I could actually finish a freaking story already. When I did write a whole novel it was the best feeling in the world. I haven't been able to stop. 

 Now, do you have any pet peeves while writing?  Is there anything that you just have to have for concentration?

  My pet peeves in writing are the inability to not use adverbs. I love those little suckers! Soo pretty.  I can't write in a comfortable setting. If that makes sense. Like, I can't write on my couch or in bed. I have to have a work place to write. A desk, non-ambient lighting, those kinds of official officey type of surroundings. Oh and Pandora. Couldn't do it without that. 

(That's interesting that you can't write in a comfortable situation.  Most people want to be in their PJ's in a very comfortable low lighting type surrounding.  It's so much fun to see how different everyone is :))

What are your favorite genre's to write?

   YA is all I write. Haven't ever tried anything else so I'm going to assume, as of right now, it's my favorite. 

 (I'm totally in that same boat, but it's a good boat to be in.  Here's a little secret:  I think it's the most fun boat to be in too.  Who wouldn't want all the emotions and added drama?)

If you could sit down and reread any book, which would it be?

 I could reread the Harry Potter books forever and be happy. Or Sabriel. Or The Count of Monte Cristo. It's hard to choose! 

Let's say you only had enough time to visit just one or two writing blogs a day, which would they be?

Rachelle Gardner and The Query Shark are 2 I can't be without. 

If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would you choose?

  Easy! JK Rowling. 

And last, but not least, do you prefer fruity candy or chocolate?

Can I have sour, please? There are these little round gummy sours at those candy stores in the mall that I crave day and night! Too bad those places cost a fortune! 

(Yes, you can certainly have sour.  It's good to find so many friends that love sour.  I thought I was alone in the world.  It's too bad a lot of the really good candy cost a fortune.  My problem is even if I buy the less expensive kind, I end up paying a fortune because I want so much of it!)

I just happened to stumble across some extra fun tidbits about Colene on her about me page.  Here are a couple of them.

I'm jealous of anyone who can wiggle one eyebrow independently. That is a talent I have always envied.

I'm obsessed with all things Harry Potter. My Harry Potter tattoo and I go everywhere together. 

And that should definitely clear up any suspicion as to which book she would reread at any given time!

I hope you all had as much fun as I did learning more about Colene.  Thanks Colene for being here on my blog today.  Now, you should all go check out her blog.

WINNERS...and Vampire Academy-Last Sacrifice!

This might be a little mean, but I'm going to give my book review first.  The winners to my one year/ 50+ followers contest will be posted below.


Love, love, love the Vampire Academy series.  Richelle Mead definitely delivered again with the final book, Last Sacrifice!  Seriously, if you like vampires, read these.  I've tried a lot of different vampire stories and this is one of the only other ones, besides Twilight, that has really kept my attention.  


Here is the cover and about blurb from Goodreads.


Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. 

She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come. 

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir. 

But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back… and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your life is about saving others, who will save you?


Only a few minor things bothered me, but they were all worth it.  And just in case anyone really wants to know, I give it a PG-13 movie rating.  


Have any of you read this book or these series?  What did you think?


And now for the winners!


I have to admit that I kind of used the 'old school' way of picking winners.  I printed all of the names, each with their appropriate number of entries, cut them the same size, folded them all in half, and stuck them in a hat.  Then I pulled out five names.  It was a lot of fun!  Anything's worth a smile on the face :)


Here are the winners of my one year/50+ followers contest.


#1.  Jenn


#1.  Emy Shin


#1.  Kari Marie


#1.  Pk Hrezo


#1.  Marieke


Okay, I know, you might be wondering why they are all #1's.  I just couldn't get myself to give any of them any other number.  They've all won a first 500 word critique.


Winners, check your inbox sometime today for an email from me and we'll get this crit party started!  If you don't get an email, it's because I can't find yours.  If that's the case, feel free to send your first 500 words to michelle m merrill (at) hotmail (dot) com  (no spaces of course :))  I'll try my hardest to get a hold of everyone!

MELISSA-An Awesome Aspiring Author

I'm super excited to have Melissa from Through the Looking Glass here on my blog today!  It's been a lot of fun getting to know her.  Here's the 'about Melissa' blurb from her blog.

Well, where to start? Let’s get the easy stuff out first. My first date warnings: I may be a pyromaniac (but everyone likes to burn things, right?); there’s always something in my hands (you should hide anything you don't want my fingers to systematically destroy); I’m insane (read: I hear voices in my head, no really, they never shut up); I can have several conversations simultaneously (it blows people’s minds....though this is probably due to my mental instability). You're still here? That's probably a sign you're mad too. Sorry. You should have stopped reading when you had the chance.

I'm glad I didn't stop reading.  You should head over and read more after the interview!

So, Melissa, how long have you been writing?

When I was an angst riddled teenager I wrote (absolutely awful) poetry about how awful my life was and song lyrics because I felt I could (I was epically wrong). But, if we're going to be completely accurate, I started to take writing seriously in November 2008. 

And, what made you want to write?

To be honest, I had no choice. I have a history of getting pneumonia and at the beginning of 2008, I had my worst case yet. I had to take a nebulizer (oxygen mask that delivered medication) every 3 and a half hours so I was basically confined to a chair in my room. I was desperately ill and due to that and other personal factors of my life, I became seriously depressed. For ten months I sat in a chair. 

Looking back, I feel like I lost a year of my life because I wasn't *there* during that time. A lot of times when people are really upset they call it depression - but that's not what depression is. Depression is a complete lack of all emotion. You are empty. There is nothing to feel or fight against, nothing you can do. 

For nine months, I hardly had any thoughts in my head. One day these voices just started talking. I ignored them for a month but they kept getting louder, invading my dreams and saturating everything. Finally, I gave in. For a whole day I listened to them, heard their story and was introduced to their world. The next morning when my mom came downstairs to let the dog out, I started talking to her. Animated and full of excitement and energy. (Honestly I think I shocked her into absolute silence because I'd been completely unresponsive and unemotional for so long.)

I started writing my character's story.

Writing lets me sort through my emotions and feelings and balances me in a way I didn't know was possible for me. Whether I get published or not, I will never stop writing because I need to for the sake of my own emotional well -being.

(Wow!  Thanks for sharing that story.  I'm sorry you had to go through something so traumatic, but I'm glad it lead you to something so priceless.  Writing's so much better when it's a positive happy thing.)

Do you have any pet peeves while writing?  Anything you just have to have to concentrate? 

I really don't like other people bothering me (unless they are bringing food - that, I will never begrudge them for!). When I write I really lose myself in my character's emotions and if I get interrupted I get *stuck* in that emotion state/mind frame and it's really hard to get out of it!

I don't really need anything to write. But I prefer to write with music. Before I start writing a book I make a book playlist and I listen to that while I write because it helps me sink into the emotional state in the beginning. When I'm actually in the zone though, I stop hearing the music so I guess I don't really need that either. 

What is your favorite thing to write? 

I love fantasy. With fantasy, the only limitations are my own imagination. It's so, unbelievably, freeing.

What other genre's do you enjoy writing, if any? 

I like mixing other genres with my fantasy: romance, mystery, suspense, horror. Probably others too, these are just the first things that popped into my head. I don't know if all of these genres are mixed into my book but I want to interweave them in other stories I write over time. (I love cross-genre stuff because I love layered story-telling.)

(Ooh, me too!)

So, what's your favorite genre to read? 

Again, I'm going to have to go with fantasy (what can I say, it's like a drug or any other addictive substance. I just can't help myself). I like any type of fantasy: epic or urban. That being said, I love other stuff too!

(I have a soft spot for fantasy too.)

Have you been to a conference?  If you've been to more than one, which was your favorite and why? 

I haven't been to a conference. I really want to go though! I think it'd be absolutely amazing to meet some writer friends in real life. If nothing else, this year I'm going to make sure I have time for write-on-con. 

(That's so great to hear!  You won't regret it, I promise.)

Which author's do you admire? 

J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter books were such a huge part of my childhood, they were with me through the best and worst times of my past. When I think of my childhood, Harry Potter is one of the first things that come to mind. So yeah, I admire J.K. Rowling for how she changed so many lives and her incredible talent. There are so many other authors that I admire or have learned from. A few other honorable mentions are Lewis Carroll, Emily Bronte and Sophie Kinsella (I've yet to read the Shopaholic series but I love her stand alone books and the humor and wit therein. If you need a pick me up, read one of her books - my personal favorite is Remember Me.)

How often do you write?

I'd like to say every day. I'd also be lying. I'm not very disciplined - and when I say not very I mean not at all. So, I tend to write in spurts. I'll write a lot for weeks on end and then I won't write for a couple of weeks, start to get really anxious and stressed and start writing feverishly again. I'm an all or nothing kind of person. So I'm either desperately working or completely 

unproductive. 

And last, but certainly not least, do you prefer fruity candy or chocolate?

If you asked me a couple months ago I would've said chocolate. That was before my trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. While there I went into Honeydukes (it still amazes me that I can say that!) and got a can of sherbet lemons. Those candies are The.Best.Things.Ever. They are now, officially, my favorite sweet (why did no one accept Dumbledore's offer? They are crazy!). Sorry chocolate, you have been replaced by sugary lemon goodness. 

(What?  You got to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?  So awesome!  I'm sure I'd find a new favorite candy there as well.)

Melissa was also kind enough to add a few random facts about herself.  Here are my favorites:  

I trained my cat to walk on a leash and take baths (though that's because I'm allergic and wouldn't be able to keep her if she wasn't bathed!). She enjoys both. No exaggeration. I also may treat my cat like she's a real person (and yes, it has altered her behavior and people frequently comment on how she is not a cat).

For the new year I put green streaks in my hair! (It looks fantastic, thanks for asking.)  (Ooh, I want to see!)

In my spare time (which there is never enough of) I love to draw and paint.

So awesome!  If you'd like to read the rest of her really cool random facts you can visit her 'about me' page.  She's such a fun person.

Thanks so much Melissa!  I hope everyone else had as much fun learning about a fellow writer as I did :)

By the way, my contest is over.  I'll be posting the winners on Monday.  Sorry I didn't clarify that before.

Have a GREAT weekend!

ONE YEAR...and 50+ followers contest!

 TODAY IS THE DAY!


Exactly one year ago, I decided it was time to release the peer pressure from the characters in my head.  Seriously, they wouldn't leave me alone!  Jan. 3, 2010 I sat down to the computer and made a very rough and shame filled chapter by chapter outline.  For the following six weeks I turned into a typing hermit and ended with a horribly written first draft.  I'm not kidding when I say horrible.  I have many alibi's!  One sister wouldn't even read past the first chapter.  I, of course, thought it was the most amazing thing.  


Let's just say I've come a long way since then.  My awesome friend from High School saved me!  Really, I owe her SO much.  (And for the record, her blog's way better than mine, so go to it!)


My novel started out in first person, changed to third halfway through, and had more periods after the quotation marks than before.  HORRIBLE!  I didn't even know how to properly format dialogue.  Very sad.  The poor thing went through four rounds of revisions and has been stashed away for many months now.  I hope it will see the light of day again, but maybe not anytime soon.

One of the best things that helped my writing this past year was the one and only writeoncon.  I can't even begin to describe how much I learned there!  Epic Awesomeness!  If you weren't there last year, be there this year!  Seriously.  It's free and loaded with everything good!


Since January last year I have written one novel, two short stories, and three partials.  I'm going to have my very own nano month this month just so I can finish my second novel.  


Anyway, I'll save the rest of the boring details.


I did mention a contest right?  Oh, oh yeah, that's right.  Well, it isn't as big as it should be, but I'm making this my one year/50+ followers contest!  


I don't have much to give.  I don't own any ARC's and I'm a little teensy bit selfish with the few books I do own (pretty much all of them not signed).  So, all I have left to give is the knowledge that I've gathered this past year.  Which is actually a ton.  


So I'm offering a 'First 500 Word' critique to 5 people!  


You get 2 entries for being an old follower.
You get 1 for being a new follower.
You get 1 more if you blog about this.  


Simple.  An extra pair of eyes never hurts right?  Let me know if you want to be in the contest and if you blogged about it.  The contest closes Thursday (Jan. 6) at 9:00 pm (Pacific).


Thank you everyone for your support!  I can just tell year #2 is going to be even better :)