Six Sentences Sunday 2

So... It's Sunday again.

And I'm bad at creative titles for my Triple S's.

So I'm just going to number them.

Because NaNoWriMo ended two days ago, I don't have much new after then, but that will change very soon, yes it will. So here's the last six sentences I wrote for NaNoWriMo. Enjoy.

She managed a slight smile as Aoduain and Hrothsam came closer. 

"Looks like we made it just in time," Aoduain said.

 "I had it under control," she said. "As if I'd ever need help from a human." 

Aoduain rolled his eyes. "Yeah? Well these two humans just saved your life."

Tee hee.

I love the way Aoduain and Ilyrana interact.

(If I haven't mentioned, Aoduain isn't a human, he's a half-elf. Hrothsam, however, is a human.)

Ta-ta for now, my lovelies!

 

 

Post NaNo Life

Whether you made it across the finish line with 50,000 words (like I finally did this year!) or not, you're going to need to get back to normal Non-NaNo life.

For some, the transition is quite simple.

For others, such as myself and Murphy (I mean, just look at her recent tweets), it can be quite difficult.

There are piles of dishes to be cleaned, animals to be fed on a regular basis again, food that we actually have to COOK. Some of us even have to get back to a normal sleeping schedule. (Not me, my schedule is whack because I work overnights).

So how does one go about re-entering this Non-NaNo "normal" world?

I would advise you take it slowly. One step at a time.

One thing at a time.

Dishes need doing? Do them, then take a break. Watch some television. Maybe write a little bit (if you're still in that mind set like I am).

But then do some laundry. Then take a break.

Do it like this for a few days, or a week, and slowly you will become accustomed to doing chores on a daily basis again.

But also, for those of you who are first time NaNo'ers, or even first time writers, you can write any time during the year. You don't have to wait for November and NaNoWriMo to come around.

I think some veterans may even need to read those words.

Ta Ta for now, lovelies! I'll see you on a daily basis again, now that NaNo is over.

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Hello guys!

So it's time for another Blog Hop!

This time my buddy Nerine Luna Cyran invited me to this!

Yeah, I'm using a lot of exclamation points, what of it?

Anyway! This one is titled The Next Big Thing and there are ten questions about your current WIP which in this case, is my NaNoWriMo novel. So. Here we go!

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

1. What is the working title of your book?

Actually... it's current title is NaNo Restart '12. I don't have a title. It will be titled hopefully around when I finish. I think I'll need help. If I don't have a title at the beginning, I'm never happy with titles I come up with, I bug friends and family to read it and tell me what to call it. 

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

The characters. No joke. I started the novel on November 8th I think, and I started with a Faerie in a cage. That lead to the question how does she get out of the cage, which gave me the half-elf who became the ACTUAL main character, and from that his past and current actions have lead to the story. 

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Fantasy? MAYBE Teen Fiction, since the MC is around eighteen? I don't know. 

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Gah! Don't ask me that! A couple of the characters are like... 5-6 inches tall, one is a creature I CREATED off the top of my head as I was writing, and the other is a half elf. (I must say Orlando Bloom makes a SMEXY elf, but I don't think he'd be good for this role. He could probably play one of the side characters, who becomes like a father to my MC, though.) 

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Gyah. Uhm. Lemme think. 

A lifetime of being ostracized everywhere he goes has left their mark on the Half Elf Aoduain, and he is bound and determined to find a crown that has been missing for centuries in order to be accepted in Elven society. 

*shakes head* That barely scratches the surface. 

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

The better question is will it be published? 

It honestly depends upon the final product. If I like it enough to tidy it up and edit it, then I think... I don't know. I may self-publish this one, but my next novel, which my readers have heard much about, Mortality, I will seek out an agency to do it traditionally.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Dude's... I'm still writing it. 

I'll hit 50k words by November 30th, but it won't be finished probably until at least 75k words, so... It'll probably be finished around mid- to late December.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I have no clue.

Maybe Holly Black's Tithe and those books? I recall reading Tithe a couple years ago, but I couldn't tell you if they are similar. 

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?

NaNoWriMo. As I said, I started part way into NaNoWriMo with a new start. I didn't want to stop at under 10k done for this year. So that has really kicked my butt into gear. Other then that? The characters themselves. As I said above.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Well... it's a story about acceptance, but also finding out who you really are. The MC Aoduain begins weak, always being saved by someone else when things goes wrong, and he has to learn to save himself, that he can't rely on everyone else to always stick their neck out for him. 

Also, a VERY interesting past. Aoduain has been marked in many ways. 

TAG! You're it. 

L.M. Murphy

Jezzy

Rose

Wasteland Nomad

Gah! I was supposed to have five people to tag. I can't think of any more... OH WAIT!

Lor Rose

*checks other blogs* Wait... Murphy and Lor Rose have already been tagged/done it. Darn. 

Free Books

Hey, I don't have a post for today planned. I never have one planned.

But I did have an idea.

Just recently, I have downloaded an easy DOZEN of free ebooks from Amazon. Probably more.

Many of these were books on writing.

I figured I would list them here for you to see. I will read them all and may review a couple of them.

But here we go.

Get Published, by Infinite Ideas

How I Overcame Writers' Block And 100 Reasons Why I Nearly Didn't, by Gillian Rogerson

Write Good or Die

Secrets of Successful Writers

The New Author

Slow Your Prose: 25 Tips on How New Authors can Improve Their Craft

Digital Ink: Writing Killer Fiction in the Ebook Age

The Road to Success in Nanowrimo: Your Guide to a Month of High Speed Writing

I think that was all the writing books. 

And I really wish I had that last one at the beginning of the month. But c'est la vie.

As I recall. All of these were free as of November, 20. There you go.

Six Sentences Sunday

Okay

So I'm not exactly sure where the Six Sentences Sunday thing began. 

All I know is I've seen it on multiple blogs, and since I don't have any sort of schedule for posts, this would work for a Sunday post, won't it?

Basically I'll post Six Sentences recently written of my current Work In Progress. 

Right now that happens to be my NaNoWriMo novel which is still untitled. 

Here they are. Six Sentences. 

Aoduain awoke in a cold sweat from a dream he could no longer remember upon waking. Whatever it was, it hadn’t been good. Somewhere between deep sleep and waking, he had braced himself for another fire, but what greeted him was far different. The air nearly hummed with energy, as an angry wind whipped around him and dark clouds formed overhead. His breath came in quick, panicky spurts and he nearly jumped out of his skin when the first strike of lightning hit the ground just feet away from him. The after image still burned into his retina’s, he blinked furiously and finally saw Arlienna, bunched up in a tight ball against the wind, Talliel and Emrys bracing themselves against her.

I write some long sentences. That is, by my count, six sentences.

I may be wrong.

But there you go.

xD

Plotting (And a sorta Book Review)

Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success

Alright, So I'm not a plotter. At all. I tried to plan my NaNoWriMo novel this year, and got sick and tired of it 8,000-some odd words in. Now, I don't know that I can blame that all on the plotting aspect because I was writing in a setting I usually don't. (Modern-ish Times)

I've been trolling Amazon recently, mostly downloading free books of about anything that catches my fancy. I bought this one awhile ago (it was not one of those free books, but cheap enough I didn't feel guilty buying it.) 

Two days ago, I got stuck on my novel. I knew what had just happened (obviously) and I knew what I wanted to happen about a month down the timeline, but I didn't know what happened in between. 

Instead of just going off on random tangents that would have meant nothing, I followed the advice in Outlining. 

As I said, I'm not a Plotter. 

But I pulled out a brand new notebook and a pencil, sat down and plotted as K.M Weiland advises you do. Guess what? IT WORKED! I didn't go into any detail, I just talked to myself through my pencil and figured it all out. I won't say anymore about the process except to tell you to go buy the book. It's 3.99 on Amazon here. Seriously, click the link. Buy the book. 

It's even an ebook, so you don't have to wait two weeks to get it, you can get it instantly on your Kindle. If you don't have a Kindle (as I don't), there is a free Kindle Desktop App. It's what I use. Or you can just read it in your browser through Amazon's Cloud Reader. 

Really, it's less than $4. What excuse do you have not to?

Even if you're a skeptic as I was, or a tried and true pantser, you WILL become stuck, and if nothing works, follow what Weiland suggests. What can it hurt? It worked for me.

Ah, the book. ***** stars, definitely. (That's 5 stars, people, not profanity.)

This Is Going Better Than I Had Hoped

Yes. I have neglected my blog. I'm sorry. NaNoWriMo and Work have stolen my soul.

But that's a good thing.

I've written over 5 thousand words today thanks to Word Wars and Sprints on Twitter.

And I'm still going.

Work... is not so fun. They started Christmas music a week ago, and it's the same twelve songs over and over and over and OVER. I've taken to doing some constructive thinking while working.

Anyway! Writerly things.

I don't have any tips really, except to write what you love.

My first novel wasn't going well, and though I loved the idea and the characters, I think it was the setting that killed it. I don't know how to write modern day times, I excel and love fantasy settings.

So I may start over with that one sometime in a different setting and see how it goes. Anyway, an excerpt.

When the students, former students Aoduain reminded himself, were lined up parallel to the table, Aoduain caught sight of where Kadain was sitting and took heart in the smile when he caught the older man’s eye. When the Queen began speaking again, Aoduain forced himself to pay attention.

“This year, as in every year past, I give you, graduates, a choice. You may go about your lives with the knowledge and skills you have acquired here as a Protector, a Guardian, a Gatherer, or merely a Mother or a Father. You may choose to remain at the school as a Teacher, to dispense what knowledge you may to future students. All positions are, it need not be said but I shall say it anyway, just as important as any other. None may claim to be more important, for how would the Guardian or Protector be vigilant, without the food that the Gatherer brings?

“However, if none of those suit your fancy, or you are looking to challenge yourself, or broaden yourself to the horizons of the world, there is another choice. Our first queen, Rala, possessed a crown that was said to have been blessed by our Goddess Seleni. This was an amazing gift, and one that was to be protected above all others. However, many life times ago, the humans of a place called Horitan stole the crown, and it has been lost ever since. If you wish it, you may try and recover this crown. The individual who does so will have his, or her, name written in the history books and will be forever hailed a hero.

“Many have attempted this, and most have returned unsuccessful. However, those that return will not be looked down upon, nor treated any different for their failure. If there are any who wish to seek out the Crown of Rala, speak up now.”

The silence after the statement was stifling. No shuffling could be heard, and even the forest seemed to quiet for the answer. Aoduain had expected most of his class to react with assurance that they would be able to find the crown. However, none stepped forward. Perhaps the years of failure before now had something to do with it? However, Aoduain saw not the failure in front of him, but something else.

He stepped forward and he could hear a collective gasp not only from the crowd of parents and teachers, but also from his fellow students. The half elf thought he could succeed where full blooded and full bodied elves had failed. He could see the thought written on most faces. Not daring to look at Kadain, he instead looked straight at the Queen Delimbrya as he spoke.

“I will find the Crown.” He was proud that his voice was strong and did not waver as he spoke.

I really like the way the Queen spoke. Her speech was really good for my word count. And none of it was fake word padding, that's just the way she spoke. Really wordy.

Anyway. I promise I will try to be back to a regular posting schedule after NaNoWriMo

Keep Writing!

~Cheyenne