End of Year Wrap-up and Top Reads of 2009

So many amazing things have happened this year it's hard to know where to begin.

I'll start with weight loss Goals:
I lost 30 pds this year.  Not bad. Definitely could be better.  I didn't reach my goal of fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans, but I am in a smaller size and many people have commented on my weight loss.

Writing Goals:
Didn't finish my rough draft, but I have written 37,000 words and I began writing it in May.  So not too bad.  I know all you NaNo champions are scoffing right now, but I'm pleased with the progress.

Writing Accomplishments:
Attended 3 writing classes, 1 Worldbuilding Seminar,  and 1 writing conference Organized crit group
Started Literary Girls Blog and Writer's Butt Blog
Made many writing friends in person and the blogging world
Received 9 blogger awards
Beta'd for 3 people.
Finished Short Story
Maintained Monthly Book Club
Wrote 37,000 words in my current WIP and 20,000 words in abandoned WIP.

Since I started writing, I haven't done as much reading, but there was still a fair amount of reading that took place in 2009.  The following is not a comprehensive list of everything I read, but it is a list of favorite books.  Not all of them were published this year.

My Top Reads of 2009

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison
Dreamdark - Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Story of a Girl, Sweethearts and Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

The Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

My Not So Fairytale Life by Julie Wright

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfield

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

It's been a great year.  I have many goals in mind for 2010, but I'm not going to set them yet. I'm very grateful for this blogging community that has welcomed me in. Hope 2010 is a banner year for all of you.

Exceptions to the Rule - Wherein Jessica Day George Author of Dragon Slippers Makes An Appearance.

I have a stack of TBR books.  Most of them are ones I've been waiting to read by popular authors.  I've made an effort to read all of them, but none of them held my interest after the first page.  I'm not blaming the authors, I'm sure I will enjoy these books when I try reading them again, but for some reason (mood, holiday activities) I just couldn't get interested.  I get twitchy when I don't have a book to read, so I decided to read one of the books that I've put off reading for months and guess what - it held my interest.  What's the problem you may ask.  Well I'm confused as to why it held my interest.  The beginning caught my attention, but it was followed by some info dumping and the dreaded telling instead of showing issue we all try to avoid.  It's possible that I'm wrong.  Sometimes I'm not sure if something is telling rather than showing - so maybe you could tell me.

Here is the first two paragraphs of the story:

It was my aunt who decided to give me to the dragon.  
Not that she was evil, or didn't care for me.  It's just that we were very poor, and she was, as we said in those parts, dumber than two turnips in a rain barrel.
   My father had been a terrible farmer, and too proud to admit it, so he had struggled on year after year despite countless failed harvests.  It had only been my mother's skill with embroidery that kept us from starvation.  She had sewn fancywork for all of the merchants' wives and once for a lady of the manor.  But now Mother and Father were dead of a fever, leaving me and my brother, Hagen, to the mercy of my father's sister and her husband, who weren't exactly wealthy themselves.   - Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

Do you see what I mean?  Great first paragraph and then info dump.  I kept reading though.  Was it the strength of the beginning alone that kept me reading?  Would you have kept reading?  

I never expected this, but Jessica Day George responded to my post about her book today and here are her comments:

Well, kids, here's the straight dope: That first line and the whole book basically dumped into my head one night. The image of a girl being sacrificed to a dragon who didn't want her either just begged to be used. I wanted that first line, and then I needed to let the reader know as fast and furious as possible why she was there- a girl of no consequence, when we're used to princesses being the ones chained to the sacrificial rock. So I took a chance and just fed you the info.

Did it work? Well, it's probably my most popular book to date and has won a number of readers' choice awards. Not only that, this was my first book published. After having no luck with seven other manuscripts, I had not one but THREE editors who were all in a flutter based on the first ten pages . . . including that info dump. In fact, nothing of the first chapter was changed in editing at all. So, the info dump = not always a mistake.

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain and to share your publishing experience with us Jessica, and for commenting on my blog - I'm flattered.


Also I just joined Twitter. Not sure how I feel about it.  The 10 porno freaks who became some of my followers wasn't too pleasant.  Anyone know how to avoid that?  Please become a follower and tweet me sometimes.

Don't Write Me Off Just Yet

I've wasted a lot of years feeling sorry for myself.  I'm still trying to dig myself out of the pit I created 13 years ago when I took a wrong turn.  I feel as though I've been living in a fog.  A mere shadow of my younger self brimming with promise.  In my struggle to keep going and change, I've learned it isn't God who punishes us when we do wrong.  We inflict punishment on ourselves as we're riddled with guilt. God only wants to take our hand and lead us back.  I've been reluctant to take that hand, but little by little I'm reaching out. The birth of each of my children has contributed to my healing, but it's writing that's generated an awakening. Writing doesn't come easy for me, but it's becoming as important to me as air. Both sustain me. Don't write me off just yet world, there may be something great simmering on the horizon.  Convincing myself is half the battle.

What keeps you writing?

A First Kiss Scene Sans Tongue

Welcome to Kissing Blogfest Monday

  I imagined my first kiss being like the kiss from the movie Some Kind of Wonderful. I was a tomboy like Watts with a chip on my shoulder when it came to guys.  Always the pal - never the girlfriend.  I identified with this scene so much.  Love the passion of his tightening fist and her legs going around his waist - the music is perfect.

Sadly my first kiss was nothing like this.  Barely knew the guy and he was all tongue - intrusive and hyper. Gross!!!

My Current favorite kissing scene comes from the movie North and South by Elizebeth Gaskell - so awesome - check it out.

It has been my experience that first kisses are overrated in real life.  Awkward and strange.  The second kiss is usually better. I doubt there are any teenage boys reading this, but if there are - study this scene boys - look, no tongue - a soft and tender first kiss. That's what a girl wants to experience for their first kiss with any guy - all men could learn from this kiss actually. Tongue comes later. Do you agree with me ladies, or am I in the minority?


This is my first attempt at writing a kissing scene so I just hope it doesn't crash and burn like my first kiss:

He put his arm around my shoulders and drew me closer to him.  His eyes, dark and intense frightened me. The entire day felt as if it was building towards this moment. But now I wasn't sure if I wanted it.  Nervous, I needed a distraction to calm my racing heart.  I brought the forgotten tomato to my lips and bit into it.  Succulent juices exploded into my mouth tantalizing my senses. A piece of vine still clung to the fruit.  I breathed in its earthen freshness and sighed.   
When our eyes met again, the hunger I saw there no longer frightened me. He'd moved closer during my reverie and our noses nearly touched.  I could feel his hand tremble as he swept the soft pad of his thumb across my slightly open lips.  The lingering aroma of the tomato vine and his aftershave fuzzed my thoughts, but a tiny spark of doubt still remained.
   "Wait," I said, pressing my hand to his chest.  "I've never done this before."
He buried his face in my hair and when he whispered, "Me either," his hot breath on my ear sent shivers through me. 
His fingers entwined in my hair as he touched his lips to mine. The uneaten fruit dropped from my hand in my growing need to have him closer.

Something tells me this kiss might lead to tongue after all.

Awards Galore

I'm honored and thrilled to announce I've received 3 awards for my blog this week.  I'm so excited and I'm feeling the love.  I feel as though I should give a speech or something, but I won't.  I'm skipping the speech and going straight to the thank you.   Thank you so much Terry Lynn Johnson, Victoria S., and Kasie West.

Terry Lynn Johnson is a Canadian author who also loves to dogsled. Her Middle grade reader adventure titled DOGSLED DREAMS is debuting soon.

Terry gave me the Kreative Blogger award and I'm supposed to tell seven things about me.  I've done this before - if you'd like to know some random things about me go here.

Instead of telling you more about me, I'm going to do what Terry did and tell you Seven things about my MC from my WIP Shrouded.


1. As a child she was extraordinarily beautiful, but she loses her looks from hard labor in all kinds of weather and near starvation when her father loses his fortune.
2. Her mother dies when she is little.
3. She has a secret gift from her mother that no one knows about.
4. She often feels weak and powerless, but a horrible tragedy sets off a chain of events that teaches her she is stronger than she realizes.
5. She is tall and thin with eyes of emerald green.
6. Cooking is a skill she learned from her Nana and she applies that skill to feed a ravenous witch.
7.  Her familiarity with herbs and their medical uses benefits her life in ways she never imagined.

Victoria S. awarded me with the Superior Scribbler. Victoria is an aspiring young author with a beautiful soul.  Everyday she posts the most amazing pictures and her words are always thought provoking.


I'm passing this award on to five bloggers who I haven't given an award to before and I also feel are superior scribblers.


1.  Loree from Stories and Scribbles.
2.  Catherine from Winged Writer.
3.  Kristen from Write in the Way.
4.  Renee from Midnight Meditations.
5.  Sarah from The Teastained Page.

Kasie West gave me this award.  Kasie is a very fun blogger and her posts usually give me a good laugh. I especially enjoy her Maddeningly Unhelpful Advice Mondays.  Kasie is an agented author and I look forward to reading her books.

This award is another tell 7 things about yourself one and give away to to 5 people, but I'm offering it to all my readers.  When I started this blog I never imagined so many people would read it.  You are all wonderful and I appreciate the support and knowledge that you share everyday.

So this award is from Me to You. 

KISS

Vigorous writing is concise.

– William Strunk Jr.

My youngest child - we'll call him Boo - is turning two this month. *sigh* It goes by so fast.  Anyway, he doesn't talk very much yet.  (I'm not worried about this, my oldest didn't talk very much by this age either and now he argues me into the ground.)  
Even though Boo is a boy of few words, I'm constantly amazed that I usually know what he wants.  

This is our conversation from this morning:

Me:   Hi Boo.

Boo:  Hi! Hi! Hi!  *big smile*

Me:   Are you hungry?

Boo: *head nod*

Me:   What do you want to eat?

Boo: *runs to fridge and points*  eee!

Me:   Okay - you can have a piece of cheese.
Boo:  *joyful clapping*

Me:   Boo did you know that cheese comes from cows?

Boo:  *blink, blink, blink*  Wow!

You should hear him sing the ABC song: "A, B, E, E, E, E, E..."

"Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means." - Albert Einstein

or in other words 

KISS

(keep it short and simple)

some people prefer

(keep it simple stupid)

but I didn't want to be insulting 

Umm - I Guess I've Been Tagged

Here's the latest meme going around. Diana tagged me a few days ago, and I'm supposed to tag two other bloggers.  I'm tagging L.W. and Carolyn V.

I'm supposed to answer all these questions about my writing. I haven't been writing that long, so it won't be easy, but I'll give it a try:
 
1. What's the last thing you wrote? What's the first thing you wrote that you still have?

The last thing I wrote was a short story. The first thing I wrote(outside of school) was my grandpa's biography.  I worked on it about 4 years ago.  It turned out better than I thought it would and it's what gave me an inkling that I might be able to write.

2. Write poetry?

Never.  Unless I'm forced, but it's always bad - I admire people who can do it.

3. Angsty poetry?

Never

4. Favorite genre of writing?

I'm not sure about that yet.  I'm experimenting with different genres.  Right now I'm writing a YA fairy tale re-telling.  I do know that whatever the genre there has to be an element of romance and there has to be a happy ending.  If it doesn't have a happy ending, I feel like I wasted my time reading it.

5. Most annoying character you've ever created?

I don't think I've created one yet.  Other people might think they're annoying though.

6. Best Plot you've ever created?

I think my current WIP is really good, but I haven't written that many stories yet.

7. Coolest Plot twist you've ever created?

Can't tell you that, but it even surprised me.

8. How often do you get writer's block?

I don't usually get a block.  Mostly I experience a lack of motivation and a fear that I'm not a good enough writer.

9. Write fan fiction?

Never

10. Do you type or write by hand?

Both

11. Do you save everything you write?

Yes - even if it's totally embarrassing.

12. Do you ever go back to an idea after you've abandoned it?

Don't know - haven't been writing long enough yet.  

13. What's your favorite thing you've ever written? 
Certain chapters of my current WIP

14. What's everyone else's favorite story that you've written?

I have no idea.

15. Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

a little of both.

16. What's your favorite setting for your characters?

Don't know yet.  My current WIP is set in a fictional Slovenia - and I think it's beautiful, but difficult  for me to describe.

17. How many writing projects are you working on right now?

Mainly one, but I did stop and write a short story and I've also begun a contemporary novel that I think I will love.

18. Have you ever won an award for your writing?

Nope.

19. What are your five favorite words?

not sure.  'It is time for school'  or 'your dreams can come true'

20. What character have you created that is most like yourself?

She is a character named Danielle Watson for a novel I've only just begun called Chasing Shadows.

21. Where do you get ideas for your characters?

 Different places.  Dreams, other books, life.

22. Do you ever write based on your dreams?

Sometimes, but my dreams are mostly whacked.

23. Do you favor happy endings?

Always.

24. Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Yes - misspelled words bother me a lot.

25. Does music help you write?

Sometimes.

26. Quote something you've written. Whatever pops into your head.

Sorry - nothing is popping into my head so I'll cheat:

“Lissa,” he whispered brushing her cheek with the back of his free hand.

So far she'd avoided looking at him.  She lost the battle when he gently cupped her chin in his large hand, and tilted her face to his. For a moment dancing hazel eyes greeted her and she was so happy, but when her mind cleared and hazel was replaced by dull gray, she knew she'd made a mistake. Too late! He was leaning towards her. What could she do? She didn't want to hurt him. Oh she had been foolish. Very, very foolish. His lips were almost touching hers. Her entire body cringed at the prospect.

Voice Face-off

There are no original ideas, only original people. 
- Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

  VS

VS

 Which versions do you prefer? Why?

Do you know of other versions of these fairytales?

My review of Ice and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow can be found here.

My review of Wildwood Dancing can be found here. 

Isn't it amazing how an author can take the same story and make it their own.  Don't ever forget that your Voice matters.