We’re at the halfway mark of the month and by this time all NaNoers should have 25K. I do and I have had those precious 25K words for days now…. Not that I’m complaining but if I want to reach 50K by Black Friday I should be writing. My MC threw my a plot twist just as I reached 25K, Sunday night. I was all o.O and WHY?!?!
The good news it appears, is that my characters are talking to me. Crazy sounding for you nonwriterly types but every writer wants this. It’s a good indication that this is happening when you don’t know what to write about next and then, suddenly, your MC throws you off a cliff and starts to tell the story while you stare opened mouth. No really it happened.
Seems like I’ve hit the dreaded Middle Doldrums! I’m dragging my feet and staring at the screen like it’s the first day of NaNo and I’ve yet to overcome the dreaded blank page. But this time there are already words. I have no idea how to overcome this mini crisis but that’s always been the fun of it:)
I’m going to go sit down and write for the rest of the evening. Before I leave you let me share the soundtracks that apparently helped my MC pull the rug from underneath me;) And yes, I do like Disney music!!!
~Tally
Hey everyone, having a good Thursday? I know I am, I’m always happy to talk about NaNoWrimo.
It’s Day 8 in NaNoLand and I’m 1000 words behind on the word goal of 13333. But all is possible! I’ve been having a bunch of fun writing this year and experiencing writer’s high is just as great as runner’s high! I’ve been having my share of procrastinating time of course. Here are a couple of incentive that will make you want to start your own NaNo Novel(it’s never too late to start!)
Nanotoons.com– I’ve been having such a great time reading these. I discovered them last year while browsing through the NaNoWriMo tabs, great cartoon created by awesome people.
Aaanndd… there’s a musical this year NaNoMusical. One of the creators of NaNotoons Errol stars as the hilarious Rick. Check it out.
Procrastinating too much like me? Here’s some of the special offers for NaNoers and those that will cross the line!
Createspace is back once more, offering 5 free paperback copies of you book. Always a favorite with Wrimos.
Scrivener is also back, the tool that every writer seems to love these days. They are offering a 50% discount to winners and 20% off for just participating!
Writeway, another writer’s helper is free for all Wrimos until 12/15/12. I’ve been tempted to take them up on their offer but I’d spend more time procrastinating trying to figure the program than writing. Still cool though and you more dedicated writers might enjoy this!
There’s a whole bunch of new sponsors as well(or I haven’t been paying attention) like Tinderbox that will help with all those notes, BiblioCrunch that connects you with publishing professionals with a full year membership to all winners and 50% for participants and Aeon Timeline, a nifty timeline tool. I’m tempted with the 40% discount for winners that Aeon will offer (20% for all participants) I’m so terrible at remembering when this or that took place.
But most of all, this is for all of you romance writers, Avon Impulse will be taking your romance(and subgenre) book, yep your NaNo novel up for consideration for publication!!! They will be taking submissions up until December 10 here. They created NaRoWriMo just for those romance writers. I’m not in this catergory but I wish the rest of you the best!
This still not enough to get you madly pecking at your keyboard? You must not be a very exciting person then…. 😉 I’ve been having so much fun with my own tinychat group and all the word warring and camaraderie. You want to meet other writers, this is you chance. Join in the fun, I’ll be waiting and you can add me as a writing buddy.
See you in NaNoLand!
~Tally
From the Library
Legacy of Tril: Soulbound by Heather Brewer
(I’ve heard and seen much about this book. Can’t wait to read, doesn’t the cover look awesome?)
Bought
Stone of Tymora by R.A. & Geno Salvatore
(It’s coming in the mail, got it signed and I’m super excited. One of these days I’m going to tell you all about Salvatore)
And since I’m super excited about my Salvatore book, for you fellow fans here’s a (late! I just saw this today!!!) look at the new cover for the book coming out next year, The Last Threshold. I cried just reading the synopsis on Amazon…
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In other news NaNoWriMo began, thus the lack of post on Thursday. Once again all I offer are my profound apologies. I just remembered how difficult and addicting writing can be. It wasn’t until this weekend that I refound the latter while I still nod my head with respect at the former. Writing IS HARD. But so rewarding. It’s INSANITY. Thus my reluctance in having to tell you that, too keep a vestige of my sanity I’m not going to be posting any reviews for the rest of November. I’ll still be posting but just no (planned) reviews. Mondays will be reserved for any book excitements that I come across during the week and Thursdays will be reserved for celebrating NaNoWriMo and writing in general. You can hate me now or later 😉
Back to NaNoLand!
~Tally
No regular book reviewing post today folks. Starting yesterday we began Banned Books Week!
Mark Twain, Judy Blume, R. L. Stine, Garth Nix, Lois Duncan, Harper Lee, Roald Dahl, Stephen King….
Authors banned for spreading ideas and sharing some of the greatest stories ever. I’ve read my fair share of these challenged books and their respective authors. Visit the official site HERE. Let’s all celebrate by reading a banned/challenged book this week! There are all sorts of lists with controversial books. Like this one.
In other news, I’ve been enjoying the fresh new NaNoWriMo forums today (thus the lack of an actual post). It’s October and November approaches. You’ll be hearing a lot of NaNo stuff (from me) from now until it ends because I love to get caught up in its madness. Join me?
~Tally
P.S. Cascade giveaway ends tomorrow at midnight. I will post the winner on Wednesday.
National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short is a yearly challenge for those writers with a need to write 50,000 words in a single month. Sound crazy? Hard? Impossible? Yes, yes, and no. I’ve participated a few times now and while it is a difficult thing to do you arrive at the end of every November feeling accomplished. NaNoWriMo has produced great authors, into the wild jungle of publishing and success. You might recognize a few of them.
Sara Gruen–Water for Elephants Erin Morgenstern–The Night Circus (see review)
Jill Baguchinsky–SpookyGirl Amelia Atwater-Rhodes–Persistence of Memory
Marissa Meyer–Cinder S.A. Bodeen–The Compound (see review)
It’s amazing how much impact NaNoWriMo has had. Check out a more complete list HERE. Why am I talking about NaNoWriMo do you wonder, it isn’t until November, you say. Well, NaNoWriMo needs you! If you have Facebook, head on over to HERE to vote to get them to the top of the chart on the Chase Community Giving program. If we rank high enough, NaNo will recieve money to keep writers writing. Everybody wants that right? If you could take a few minutes to vote I would be extremely grateful (and so would other writers). I appreciate that you’ve read this post.
Spread the word!
~Tally
Title: The Compound
Author: S.A. Bodeen
Pages: 245 (paperback)
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
S.A. Bodeen is one of those authors that generally gets noticed like this: “Hey, look I just finished this amazing book! You have to read it! It’s called {enter chosen book here} and it’s by – hey! Wait! It’s by S.A. Bodeen!!” Seriously, this has happened with probably three of her books. Then I was scheduling author events near where I live and I learned that she lives very close to my city. Then I was reclaiming childhood books (that’s another post, though) and I realized that one of them was by her. It’s one of those ongoing coincidences that seems like it should be impossible. But, again and again, it happens. And so I bring you The Compound, a book by S.A. Bodeen.
Eli Yanakakis is the son of billionaire Rex Yanakakis, and he is in prison. A prison with imitation sunsets and a massive flat screen that drops from the fireplace, admittedly, but to him it feels like prison. And worse of all, it’s a prison with no visiting hours. And when your twin brother can’t visit, life is worse than death-by-nuclear-fallout.
When Eli’s dad gets the news that the US is under attack by nuclear bomb, he has forty minutes to get his family into the Compound, his luxury fallout center. Since they don’t live so far away, it should be simple. Get into the car, drive, get out of the car, get into the Compound, and close the door that will seal them in for fifteen years.
Not so. Eli’s family splits up, and his father does the unthinkable; he closes the door without Eddy, Eli’s twin brother, and Eli’s grandmother. Enter Eli’s own personal purgatory. He has never been without Eddy before, and now Eddy is dead, and it’s Eli’s fault. Or so he thinks. But as Eli explores the compound and lives out his sentence, he begins to realize that not all is right in the safe haven of the Compound.
This book has been on my favorites shelf for far longer than many of the books I read now. Something about it’s thrilling pace, complex narration, and just plain cool premise has kept me interested since 2008, when it came out. I love the characters (except for the antagonist, who is so amazingly hate-able it’s comforting) with an unreasonable passion, and find the Compound absolutely fascinating. It’s hard to pinpoint what makes this book so indescribably . . . Delicious. Seriously, reading it is comparative to chocolate to me. It’s one of those books that I feel actually lucky to have happened upon.
For all of you nanoers out there, The Compound is a NaNoWriMo book. For more information on NaNoWriMo, click here.
Hope your week’s going well,
Rosey
Bookmarks 