Writing Tips

This is what I have learned so far from reading 'Writing the Breakout Novel' by Donald Maass.

1) If you don't like the kind of story you're writing, then why would anyone else? And why are you writing it?

2) Don't write what you know....write what you love.

3) Raise the stakes. Up the conflict. Take the one person your MC really counts on....and kill them.

4) Description is important but only as setting. Think of how a place makes you feel, whether that is comfortable or creeped out, and add that to your story.

For other great writing tips, check out Literary Rambles, every Tuesday.

For The Love of Books

This perfectly portrays the way I feel when I read a good book:





But remember....books can be dangerous.





The books I purchased this season are as follows:

Under The Dome By Stephen King
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
How to Write the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass

As soon as I have completed them, I will definitely share my opinions.

Friday Flashbacks

The year is 2009. No, really. This is a flashback, remember?

It was a year of extraordinary highs and lows.

NYT Bestseller at the end of the year: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.
Movie that grossed the most money in USA: Transformers-Revenge of the Fallen.

The first African American President was inaugurated into office, Barack Obama.

The entertainment world lost some of its brightest stars:
Farrah Fawcett
Michael Jackson
Patrick Swayze
Brittany Murphy

Your hairstyle may have been this:

Or maybe it was more like this:


And you even took the picture with you to the hair salon but when the hyper teenager who was merrily chopping your hair off was through....it didn't look anything like this picture!!! But I digress....

You may have worn these outfits:


Or this one:


Or maybe this one:



Lets be honest...for the guys there was only one option:


But no matter what you wore or how you styled your hair...it was ok because the style these days is whatever you feel like. We are all about expressing our individuality.

Just remember that underneath those outer layers, we are pretty much the same.

May the year 2010 bring joy and happiness to us all.

New Year's Resolutions...Just Say No.

It's an old tradition to make new year's resolutions. I hate it. They are doomed to fail. I like to set goals through out the year but in the past when making resolutions at this time (usually drunk and laughing hysterically near midnight), I have never had much luck making them stick.

So I say, don't make resolutions...but do set goals for yourself.

One goal that I would like to set is to lose the five pounds I gained eating my way through Christmas. I totally blame my mother for this.

Another is finishing the editing process on my current wip, and finding my dream agent this year. Aren't they all dream agents?

What goals are you setting for the year?

May your New Years be a safe and happy one!!!

Post Christmas Decisions

It's Monday...but this is unlike my normal moody, pondering the universe, Mondays. I am on vacation, my mother does not fly home until tomorrow, and I am still in my pajamas at 2:00 in the afternoon. Why can't all Monday's be this way?

I hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas as I did. Everyone received what they asked for and I am about to enjoy the best present of all. The hallowed Barnes & Noble gift card. It's shiny, plastic awesomeness will bring me great joy in the weeks to come. I almost don't know where to start, there are so many great books that have come out recently.

I am open to suggestions.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!!

May Santa bring all you asked for!

You Can't Hide

There are times in our life when we all want to hide...for very different reasons. But take it from these guys, sometimes it just doesn't work out.