Monday, December 5, 2011

Busy week + Snow

I've been such a lazy turd lately! I've barely done any reading or writing. It's like all I want to do is eat, sleep, and watch Buffy. And this week will be even worse! I have such a busy week ahead of me. Today and tomorrow I have after school rehearsals for the Madrigal Feaste which is a thing I'm doing for choir. Then, Thursday evening I have a Christmas concert and I'll be going home with my friend. On Friday evening I have Madrigal Feaste performance number 1, and I'll be spending the night at my friends house that night because on Saturday I have Madrigal Feaste performance number 2! On the bright side, the cute boy that I have a huge crush on is in the chamber singers (which is the more advanced choir) and they perform at our concert, and he is playing the king in the Madrigal Feaste, so I get to secretly pine for him three days in a row - not to mention the days of rehearsal!

And then, of course, exams are coming soon. Exams are one of the only bad things about exams, in my opinion. But on another bright side, today we received our first snow! It was so exciting!! I grew up in Florida so I had never seen snow until today. I started hyperventilating and jumping up and down and nearly crying. I was so excited I couldn't eat. I danced in the snow, too. Gosh, it was awesome!! Everyone is all negative and says I'll get sick of the snow very quickly, but I'm going to enjoy it for the time being.

So, that's what's happening with me. What's going on with you?

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Failure

I failed NaNo. But that's okay. I sort of expected to because I alternate between WIPs wayyy too much. I have, like, 10 different stories in the works at the moment. I'll try again next year, but hopefully by that time I'll know what it feels like to write "The End" And even though I failed NaNo, I still think I've been doing pretty good on my writing. Every time I actually do get to sit down and write, I crank out about 2,000 words. For me, that's a lot - even if most of those words are, you know, not good.

So, how'd you do on your NaNo project? I want to know :D

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

20k words and a main character that can't speak.

I hit 20,000 words the other day on my werewolf WIP. I am exceedingly proud of this achievement, because it is only the second time I have ever gotten so far on one of my stories. Which is funny because the only other story I got that many words (I actually got about 45k) was this story - the first time around. That was when I realized my characters and world lacked depth, I did way too much info dumping, and the whole thing pretty much sucked.

I am really glad that I went back and began to re-write the story. I feel like it has improved by 3 billion. I know my characters a lot better and my plot and where the story needs to go.

Now, onto the second part of the title.

A main character who cannot speak.

Yeah, that's right. I am writing a story in which the main character - the hero, the narrator - is a mute due to a curse that was bestowed upon him in order to pay a debt for the crimes of his siren mother. Granted, it is a paranormal and his love interest is very special so she can communicate telepathically and whatnot. I doubt the story will go anywhere, but it provides an excellent opportunity for me to expand my writing skills. And it's a lot of fun, because my stories always contain a little too much dialogue.

I'm hoping it will help me learn to better balance description and emotion in my narration, because that is one thing I struggle with a lot. Usually, when I describe things I forget to include the character's personality and emotions, and when I am focused on the character's feelings I forget to explain what is happening.

I actually have all the major technical aspects for the story worked out. Like MC's family history and how his curse came to be. Also, Love Interest's Big Secret and why she has the ability to communicate with MC telepathically. My MC is also a genius, so his voice is a lot more intelligent and slightly more formal than anything else I've ever written.

In fact, this whole story is a lot different than everything else I've ever written. Boy narrator (which is actually something I've done before) that cannot speak. Monarchy-ruled society. Paranormal creatures are an accepted fact. And MC is really vulnerable and emotional, which are qualities I never ever instill in my MCs.

So yeah, I'm excited. Even if the idea of creating a protagonist that cannot speak is ridiculous.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Writing what you love VS Writing to sell

I've got a confession.

One day, I hope to be a published author one day.

I know, big shocker! I think that most people who love to write have that goal, so they are rushing to write unique books that'll grab an agent's attention. One that will sell. Sometimes it may work, but most of the time, it doesn't. Because those types of books are lacking a major element.

Love!

One thing I learned about writing is that it is absolutely crucial to write something you feel passionate about.

My current WIP is about werewolves. I'll start by saying that I didn't know from the beginning that it would be about werewolves, but that's how it worked out. And contrary to what many people believe, I know that my story wouldn't sell. Werewolves are all over the place, so most people assume that playing off of those authors' ideas will make them money. It won't. My plot isn't necessarily unoriginal, but it isn't original either. There's nothing especially extraordinary about it that would ever score me an agent or anything. I have unique ideas that would probably sell, but not my werewolf one.

So why am I writing it?

Because I love it. The characters are constantly in my head; trying to have conversations with themselves, with each other, and most importantly, with me. I've tried to push them to the side and write other things, but they refuse. They want their story to be told, and I am the only one who can do it.

One character wants everyone to know the heartache he endured when his girlfriend left him for another guy.

Another character wants everyone to know that people are generally scary, but sometimes one person can come along and turn you inside out and make you realize that just maybe, not everyone is bad.

And finally, the main character wants everyone to know that crap happens - LIFE happens - and sometimes there is nothing you can do about it. It's not about the bad things that are hurled at you, but how you catch and handle those things. And maybe it's okay to blame other people from time to time. And that no matter what happens, you're not horrible.


I love my characters, I know them. I need to write about them. Even if I'm the only one who ever reads about them. Their story can be our little secret. It is unfortunate that these characters will probably only be loved by me, but maybe one day I can find some place else for them. Maybe one day they will land in an alternate universe where there will be an even more exciting adventure waiting for them.

But maybe not.

What matters is their story right now, the one that exists in my mind and in my heart. Because I know that I'll feel more satisfied if I finish this book, the one that I love with everything inside of me, than if I finish a story that "sells" that I am only iffy about. My dad would probably be more happy about the latter, but writing is the one thing I do for myself.

And, of course, the voices inside my head.


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Plotter or Pantser?

If you've ever read a writing blog before in your life, you probably know that this is a big topic of discussion.

PLOTTING VS. ...BEING A PANTSER*


Obviously, a plotter is a person who plots out their stories, usually by some form of outline. A pantser is someone who writes "by the seat of their pants."

I know that a lot of professional writers start out as pantsers, but once they are published they are expected to present an outline for the next book in the series or whatever.

So, that got me thinking: what am I? It seems like a simple question, right? You either plot or you don't. But here's the thing, I feel like I fall somewhere in the middle. I don't make an outline (I've tried - I only followed the very first chapter), but I don't just write with no idea what is going to happen. I need some sort of guidelines of how my story is going to go, or else I will go crazy! So, usually I decide the major plot points and what order they are going to happen (Ex: Does heroine kiss hero before or after Big Discovery?). I figure out how the story is going to end, and then I fill in the blanks. It sort of seems like outlining, but those blanks are HUGE.

All in all, my characters guide the story. Not me. They decide what happens next, and I am okay with that.

So, that's a little bit about my writing. What about you? Are you a plotter or pantser?

*I was going to say pantsing, but that brings back bad memories of P.E. in middle school.



Monday, October 31, 2011

Consuming Fire - A zombie short story

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!
As promised, I have a zombie short story that I wrote. I did this a few months back for a little writing contest. I didn't win, but I still like the story. Tell me what you think!

Oh, and just a warning, there is some profanity and uh, grossness. Enjoy :)

CONSUMING FIRE

I don't care how many brains you've eaten; rising from the dead isn't an experience that's easily forgotten. It's cold and hollow and it kind of smells like grape soda. That's how it was for me, anyway. Every zombie has a different story, all equally unpleasant. But in order to understand my reanimation, you have to hear it from the beginning. I started out as a guy in love and somehow ended up as a monster with an insatiable hunger for vital organs.

It was very cliche, very horror movie-esque. New girl came to school, all shy and pretty. She had blue eyes and cute little dimples when she smiled. I was always a sucker for dimples. Everybody was crowding around her, trying to befriend her, but only succeeding in making her more uncomfortable. Her smile began to slowly deflate as the day progressed, resulting in more of a grimace at the end of the day.

At lunch, my best friend Tofer clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Dude, she's hot," he told me, waggling his blond eyebrows. I snorted. Like I didn't have eyes to see for myself. Didn't matter, though, she was already so worn out that if I approached her she would just brush me off.

The bell to dismiss us to our last class rang, shrill and piercing, and I unenthusiastically trudged to my history class. The new girl wasn't in a single one of my classes. She was probably in all of the smart kid classes that I declined. I wanted my senior year to be easy and relaxed. Then, I got to the classroom and there she was. Slumped in one of the plastic blue chairs. Right next to my desk.

I tacked on a lazy grin and took my seat. I didn't look directly at her, but I could see out of my peripherals that her eyes were following me. That ignited a sense of satisfaction that I kept hidden from my features. I was pretty good at that, it was part of reeling girls in. Couldn't get all goofy or they would lose interest. She didn't talk to me right away, and I made no moves to talk to her. It was all about opportunities, I just had to find the right one.

The girl yawned and ran a hand through her thick brown hair. Her eyelids were drooping and it was obvious that she was dangerously close to falling asleep. I leaned over towards her desk, and in a low and deep whisper I told her, "The second you put your head down she'll make you scrape the gum off of the bottom of the desks."

She scowled and her eyes opened all the way again. They weren't just blue, they were a, electrifying baby blue. Reminded me of the sky. "Thanks," she said. "I'm, like, a germophobe so I would probably throw up."
I chuckled slowly. "First one's free."

"I'm Stella."

"Carson."

That was all of the conversation that day, but it was a good start, because when she introduced herself her dimples materialized. I loved dimples.

How the rest happened, I didn't even know. She asked me for help in history a few times, she borrowed my pencil, she gave me her number. Next thing I knew, we were on the phone for hours every night. We'd talk until one of us fell asleep. Then, we were hanging out at school, kissing in between classes. Started holding hands in the hallway, going on dates. Yeah, that really threw everyone off. Everyone knew that I didn't date. Ever. But Stella, Stella was different. I was going to tell her that, too, but she wasn't at school that day. And when I started thinking about it, I realized that she hadn't even sent me a text message that morning.

After school, I walked to her house thinking maybe she was sick. Good boyfriends checked on their girlfriends when they were sick, right?

When I knocked on her door, her mother answered. She smiled all wide and pretty like Stella. She always seemed so delighted to see me. Stella told me that her mom loved me, said I was so polite and sweet.

"Is Stella here?" I asked.

"She's not home from school yet," she replied, crinkling her brow. "But she usually is home by this time."

"She wasn't at school today, ma'am."

Her lips pursed. "She wasn't?"

Something inside of me turned cold like it always did when I knew with utmost certainty that something was wrong. I got that feeling the moment my dad walked out of our front door the day he died. I knew then just like I did in that moment.

Not Stella, I pleaded in my mind. Not my Stella.

I quickly dug out my cell phone and dialed her number. It rang once, twice, three times then went to voicemail. I cursed, not caring if Stella's mom heard it. My heart was racing behind my ribcage, threatening to burst through. There was a faint buzzing in my ears that intensified with each passing second.



"Stella!" I called, but she didn't even react. I shouted louder, but it seemed the only person that heard me was one of the cloaked people. He turned towards me and I saw the most frightening thing in my life. The guy's lip was pulled behind his teeth, revealing glimmering white incisors the length of my pinky.

Fangs.

I didn't think. I charged at the creep full-force and barrelled into him. He didn't budge. Hitting him felt like colliding with a brick wall and I was positive I broke more than one bone. I was so blasted with adrenaline and endorphins in that moment, though, that I hopped right back on my feet and bared my own admittedly less intimidating teeth. This guy wasn't fazed and neither was the rest of the cloaked figures as they broke from the circle and descended on me.

Good, I thought. Keep the freaks away from Stella.

My eyes darted to her. She stood staring at me, face paled. When our eyes met, I saw tears bubbling to the surface. "Stop!" She demanded. Then to me she said, "You should not be here, Carson." And I knew she was serious because she only ever called me "Car."

"But master," said the cloaked dude that I rammed into. His voice was elegant, like silk sliding over my skin. I shivered because that thought was terrifying. What were these things? Surely they weren't vampires. Those were just stupid made up creatures. And they didn't do rituals or come out in the day. Right? "He is the perfect sacrifice."

"No," she replied sternly. Her full lips stretched into a thin, white line and her eyes narrowed at the guy. "He isn't virginal."

"Stella, what the hell is going on? Are you the leader of this-this fucking cult?"

"You can't interrupt when we're in the middle of a ritual, Carson! Goddamn, this is when they are hungriest!"

"What are you talking about?" My voice was definitely teetering on the line of hysteria. There was no way this was Stella. Not my Stella.

One of the tears that had been brimming in her eyes swelled and spilled down her cheek. "Carson, these are
Upir. I am an Upir."

My jaw dropped.

"Master," said the same fucking Upir. "His blood smells pure." He sniffed again. "Sweet."

Why were they calling her master? What the hell was an Upir? Was I dreaming? "Stella?"

One of the cloaked figures stepped closer to me. Stella's eyes flashed a deep crimson color and her voice came out deep and gravelly as she commanded him to stop. I about pissed my pants.

"The Upir," she explained. "are like vampires. They are born with two souls. When they die, they're lesser soul remains in the body and gives them a craving for blood." I didn't say anything. What was there to say? I was absolutely certain, now, that I was dreaming. "I'm the oldest Upir in existence, therefore I can very easily control my urges. In fact, I'm pretty human. I just control these guys. But you can't come during a ritual. Carson, I-I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Stella, I don't know what's going on right now. I thought you liked me?"

"I do, Car. I really do." She was crying freely now, something I didn't know vampires could do. The salty tears made her eyes even more vivid.

"But I love you Stella. Or, I thought I did. Gosh dammit. I'm so confused! And more than a little fucking scared."

"I'm sorry," she repeated and then waved her hand high above her head. "I can't deprive my children."

"What?"

"Feed, children."

The cloaked figures closed in on me, eyes glowing red and hungry grins. That was the last thing I ever saw while I still had a heartbeat.
-^#^-
I felt light, like I weighed only a few ounces. Only, it wasn't the good kind of weightless. It was like that song by Kansas, "Dust in the Wind." A harsh and bitter wind that occurred in the middle of a snow flurry. And there was the grape soda I mentioned earlier.

Was I dead? Was this how I was going to feel for all eternity? I thought death was supposed to be peaceful. Maybe I was in hell. Maybe people had been wrong about hell all along, it wasn't full of flames and fire. It was ice. Cold and numbing. It was the only thing I could feel, see, hear. Every one of my senses was consumed by this horrible cold.

I couldn't breathe, but a part of me knew I didn't need to. Not anymore.

Time was deluded. I felt like I was suffocated in this freezing wind for days, yet for only seconds. The farther I floated the more I felt my body begin to shut down, give up. There was no more heart beat. The blood was no longer pumping.

I felt like one of those taxidermied deer heads. Stiff and dead and creepy.

And then the ice was replaced by a blazing flame in my belly. It was the worst thing I had ever felt. Like someone was burning away my intestines. Indescribable. Like I held the sun in my stomach.

A name ripped through my brain, then. Stella. I felt resentment, hatred, hunger. I was no longer weighed down by the useless emotions like love and happiness. Where did those things get me?

My eyelids slowly dragged themselves open. Like an elevator door opening. Slow. I saw trees and the sky, but it was all dimmed by a red haze that clouded my vision. What the hell was going on?

Those damn cloaked figures were leaning over me. I didn't die? But I knew I didn't have a heartbeat. And
that flame in my belly was still there. Flickering and growing to unbearable heights. I needed food. But not the food I used to eat. No more grilled cheese and greasy pepperoni pizza. I didn't know what I wanted, but I knew it was close.

Then I saw Stella. I thrashed on the ground. That bitch! I tried to shout, but my body was no longer suited for words. My jaw, my muscles, my lungs didn't know how to form words. My thoughts were perfectly coherent, but my words melted together into a strangled and garbled groan.

I looked at Stella again. Target! my mind screamed. Food!

I guess that was when I figured it out. Somehow I was a zombie. The idea didn't seem to preposterous. Then again, I wasn't exactly dwelling on it in that moment. I was focused on the fire licking my insides. It was no longer just in my stomach. It was in my brain, in my eyes, in my ears and nose.

Zombies were supposed to be slow, but that fire ignited me. I pounced from the floor. I think there were shrieks from the stupid cloaked people. I wasn't paying attention. My target was locked and I wasn't going to stop until I got what I wanted. I lunged at Stella, my zombie teeth sinking into her trachea.

This time she screamed and I loved it. Blood gushed into my mouth and I savored the sweet taste of her flesh.

That was how it happened. After that day nothing was left of Stella or her cloaked minions but bone. For all of you newbie zombies, I'll warn you: that fire never goes away. Not ever. But it's something you learn to deal with, almost enjoy. Being a zombie isn't as horrible as it seems, I assure you. You don't feel guilt or embarrassment or any other stupid thing. And we're actually stronger than the humans. You don't have to worry about trivial things like money or materials.

Now, I haven't eaten in about an hour or two. All you humans reading this better watch out. You might be my next target, and once I get my senses locked on a person, there's no escaping.

I'm gonna go get me some brains and maybe even a heart or two. Happy dreams to all of you.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Time

I'm on to you guys. Every single one of you who actually accomplishes something (or a lot of somethings) everyday, I am ON TO YOU. You obviously have a time elongate-a-nator. Why does it seem like some people have 48 hours in their days?


See that? It's time SHATTERING.
Because I feel like that's what happens to time. It just shatters and falls around my feet in lonely shards. I know that I should pick those shards up, or catch them before they hit the floor. But sometimes I just CAN'T.

I've got school, and when I get home I have homework. Then I have emails to reply to and read. Tweets to reply to. Blogs to stalk. A blog to write. TWO blogs to write, actually. Books to read. A story to write. MULTIPLE stories to write, actually. And to top it all of, I'm kind of a sleep princess. If I don't get at least six hours I'm a total zombie.

Looking at all the stuff I do on a daily/weekly basis is kind of astounding. And while I do actually accomplish things, it's like my to-do list is perpetually being added to. I've got deadlines to meet, books to review, eBooks to keep track of. And I am a super unorganized girl, so it's not as simple for me as it should be.

But here's the thing, I love all of the stuff I have to do. Sure, the pressure can be a little overwhelming, but I love it all. Except maybe the school and homework part, but unfortunately I HAVE to stick to that. I just need a better time management system...and apparently less means of distraction. Like this blog post. I should be writing my story right now.

So tell me, lovely readers. How do you get things done? Do you struggle with balancing everything like I do? Or have you found a good system? Really, I'd LOVE to hear it!


Friday, October 21, 2011

Not So Crazy After All - A short story.

A month or two ago, Marcy Hatch over at Mainewords held a little writing contest. She supplied a picture and we got to write whatever came to our mind. Here was the picture:


Of course, I see a picture like this and my mind goes into hyper drive.

Here was what I came up with:


Not So Crazy After All

A tight knot formed in the pit of my belly as I looked up. The sky had turned a doleful gray that seemed to mock me. Rain was on the way.

"Mason," I called out, the word coming out shaky.

The reply was distant. He must have been on the other side of the boat. "Yeah, babe?"

"How much longer until we reach the island?" I hated myself for sounding so scared. I'd already taken down a vindictive faerie king and nursed a dying and unstable werewolf to health. The prospect of a bad storm should not have caused my heart to thump wildly behind my ribcage, should not have been giving me wobbly legs.

But i wasn't the rain that frightened me. I'd read the books. I could practically see it already: Two teenagers on a boat in the middle of the ocean, on their way to a mysterious island, when all of a sudden ominous lightning illuminates the night sky and the rain begins to fall, pounding against their skin, obstructing their vision. They crash into a rock and the boat begins to fill with water. The girl screams, high and piercing, and then throws herself into the cold and dark water. She flails and calls for the guy's help, because - duh! - she forgot that she has no idea how to fricking swim. The guy doesn't come to her rescue, so eventually her hand bangs into something that fell off of their boat, and she grabs onto it for dear life, clinging to it as she struggles to tame her ragged breathing. Finally, she looks around. The boy is nowhere in sight! She cries out for him, but he doesn't surface. Then, she sees his pale, lifeless body floating down, down, down into the vast depths of the ocean...

Oh God. A hysterical sob flew from my mouth and I tried to do what my therapist had taught me. Take a deep breath, count to three, then release it.. I only got to two before I felt a light hand rest on my waist. I squealed and jumped about five feet, nearly pitching myself overboard.

Mason's deep laugh wrapped around me and I felt my pulse simmer down. For a second.

"That's not funny," I said, my voice sharp. "You could have given me a heart attack!"

He laughed again and I was extremely tempted to try out that ninja move I had learned in the eighth grade where I flip someone over my shoulder. I thought about it for a second longer, though, and decided against it because I sort of loved him and he was much more fun to kiss when he wasn't groaning in pain.

Instead, I turned to him and narrowed my eyes. "I hate you." It was difficult to remain angry when I looked at his incredible face. Bright blue eyes and, my God, that smile. I could already feel the anger flitting away from me.

Mason's grin widened, revealing a set of impossibly perfect teeth. Why was he so fabulous? "Would you calm down, Molls? Have a little faith in me. I told you we'd make it just fine, and I mean it."

"But the rain--"

"Molly, please. Don't do this." He brought his hands up and cradled my face in them. His thumb lightly traced my lips. "We'll be fine."

The tension immediately began to melt off of me, like ice cream dripping down a cone on a summer day. If he said we were going to be fine, who was I to argue? "I'm sorry I'm so crazy."

"I like it. Makes me feel a whole lot more sane." He smiled, tender and delicious, then brought his lips to mine. I was pretty sure that if I died right then and there, it would be o-freaking-kay. The feel of his lips, warm and expertly moving against mine...Well, I was already in heaven..

Then there was an earsplitting crash and the boat lurched, sending Mason and I hurtling toward the deck. I hadn't managed to disentangle my hands from Mason's hair in time to catch my fall. My head banged against the metal of the boat with a sickening thunk! There was a moment of sharp agonizing pain before my vision began to blur and I lost sight of the world around me.

The blackness swallowed me.



~~~~~~
That's the ending. When I write short stories, my mind tends to wander and I stop thinking about plot and all the specifics of writing. Instead, I just write and let my imagination drag me wherever it wants to go. Therefore, I didn't know where I was going with this story, and so I never thought of an ending or anything.

I was the only one to enter that time around, but I'm not really complaining because I won Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare and a beautiful bookmark made by Marcy herself!

I hope you enjoyed the story. Tell me what you think! Oh, and I'd advise you check out Marcy's blog. It's really good! 


Monday, October 17, 2011

NaNoWriMo

As most of you probably know, November is National Novel Writing Month.

That's sort of a mouthful, so everyone just calls it NaNoWriMo.

Well, it begins in precisely two weeks! Eeep! I'm so excited. I tried it out last year before I really knew anything about writing, and I thought writing a novel would be as simple as spitting the words out. I'm very aware how naive I was. However, this year I am pumped and ready to go! I've learned so much about the craft and I'm hoping that I'll be able to get to 50k words this year.

FINGERS CROSSED.

I'm not sure how I am going to find the time, though! Between my internship with Entangled Publishing, my book blog, this blog, school, and my social life, my life is pretty much booked. I hardly get the opportunity to write anymore, and when I do, I'm always feeling guilty because there's most likely other things I need to be doing.

But I have a bunch of awesome tweeps that'll help me get through it!

I already have my basic plot. It involves an abusive step-mom, running away, suspiciously fancy foster homes, and fighting! It's a paranormal, of course, and the MC is a sixteen year old guy. I still have to figure out who exactly the love interest is going to be, but I have an idea. I still have a lot more plotting to do and details to work out, but I'm so stoked to write it.

What about you guys? Are you going to be participating in NaNoWriMo? Have you ever reached the 50k goal? How the hecknuggets do you find time to write every day? And most importantly, what will YOU be writing about?

Oh, and just some news: On Halloween I'll be posting a short story that I wrote about zombies. I actually have it posted on my fictionpress account, but I'm not going to give you the link, because I want everyone to read it on the blog! It's also got vampires in it. Kinda. So stay tuned for the ZOMBIE FUN!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Team member interview: Margiie

Hello everyone! Happy Sunday! Today I would like to take the time to introduce the second member of the WriTEEN Team.....

MARGIIE!

Hey Margiie! It's great to have you on the Team! I look forward to blogging with you and reading what you have to say. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions so that our readers can get to know you.

If you had to describe yourself in five words, what would they be?
Friendly, honest, trustworthy, patient, easy going....I think that's six.
Those are all great qualities! I wish I could say that the first and the fourth apply to me. But I'm never all that patient and only friendly when I want to be.
If you were to turn into a paranormal creature, which one would you like to turn into? 
I think a shapeshifter. But if I could I'd combine paranormal creatures.

Nice! I love all paranormal creatures.
What is your favorite time to write? Your favorite place?
My favourite time would be at night in my room, with just me and my computer and a hot cup of tea. 

I am totally with you on that one! I could go for some tea right now, actually.
 Do you listen to music while you write?
Yup. I find music is inspirational while writing.   

If you could meet any author, who would you like to meet?
Van Badham, I love her story lines. Especially the series of hers that is out now. 

I've never heard of her. I'll definitely look into her books.

Adolescent. 

LOL! You've got to be the only person who likes that word. Just thinking it makes me cringe. *Thinks of awkward adolescent phase.....*Escape to a place that I've never been to in the world on a plane (:

Finish this sentence. If I was invisible for a whole day I would ......
What's your least favorite subject in school? 
I actually like the subjects I take at the moment....but in recent years I've disliked maths and science subjects.
Blech! Just thinking about Biology gives me chills.
Do you like writing male characters or female characters more? 
Writing from a females perspective. In a way it's easier...but it would be interesting to write from a males perspective. It kinda puts your own in sight on how a boy would or should be like haha.

You should try it in the future :D
If you could have dinner with anyone in the entire world (dead or alive, real or fictional) who would you choose?
Probably one of my favourite authors....I don't know who to pick, but I wouldn't mind any one of them.
Wow, great interview! I look forward to getting to know you better, and I'm sure that the readers do too!







Saturday, October 15, 2011

Team member interview: Gabbi

HELLO EVERYONE! So, it is October 15th, which is the secret kick off day that I had planned.

I'm going to get the ball rolling with an interview of a team member...ME. Now, this is going to be slightly awk because I am interviewing myself, but as a writer I am generally accustomed to talking to myself.

So, tell us about yourself.
My name is Gabbi. I'm 15 years old - a sophomore in high school. I read, I blog, I write, and I am (newly) an intern for Entangled Publishing, where I read manuscripts and give my feedback. I'm pretty much obsessed with all things paranormal, which is something you will come to know quite well! My favorite color is yellow. I'm in love with the band Every Avenue. I'm always hungry. I'm quirky and weird and awesome. Stick around and you'll see for yourself :D

Why did you start WriTEEN Adventures?
Well, like I said, I'm 15 and I love to write. Wanting to be a writer at such a young age is hard, because most of the people I talk to don't understand WHY. Someone told me that because I read and write a lot, I basically just do school things. I was OFFENDED. I mean, I want to be an English teacher when I'm older, but I seriously HATE school. So, anyway, I wanted to form an online community with others who understand and love literature as much as I do!

How can I stalk you?
OOOH! STALKERZ = LOVE. Only the bookly stalkers, though. Okay, you can find me on...
Twitter: @BookBreather
My other blog: http://bookbreather4lyfe.blogspot.com/
And you can email me and we can be zee best of frands! gabbicalabrese@hotmail.com

What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
MY GOSH! Why did I ask myself this. Note to self: Don't trust self with questioning self.
Anyways, I'll be a good sport about my own traitorous actions and answer it honestly.
*Cringe* One time, in eighth grade, I got my period in class. SUPER AWK.
DON'T JUDGE.

What are you currently reading?
LALAALALALA. ME, READ? Pshht. I would never do such a thing.
AIGHT. Sorry...must have had too much caffeine!
I am currently alternating between a few books:
Ashfall by Mike Mullin, Frozen by Robin Wasserman, and Fury be Elizabeth Miles.

DANG GIRL. You got lotz on your plate!
Tell me about it! And could not have come at a worse time! Now I get to start reading manuscripts, the school quarter is ending, my choir is going to all-region this weekend. GR.

So, with all that in mind, do you have anything lined up to read next?
Is that even a question!? I love books so much. If I didn't have anything lined up...I would probably be freaking out. Anyway, I know that the books I have lined up next are:

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, and Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (NO IDEA HOW EXCITED I AM TO BE GETTING THIS ARC!!!!)

Incarnate!? LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I'm aware. And a huge thanks goes out to a new virtual friend/tween book blogger, HD at Reading Writing Breathing Book Reviews for giving it to me! AH! He's also giving me an ARC of Glow by Amy Kathleen. He's awesome. GO FOLLOW HIS BLOG!

So, do you have any writing inspirations?
.....
DOT DOT FREAKING DOT.
That's like asking Justin Bieber if his pants are a litttttle too tight (JK, I LOVE ME THE JBIEBZ)
But for real. I have a ton of writing inspirations. In fact, I have so many that naming them all would drain away all my time. So, I'll name a few that I firmly believe will never change and I'll never forget.

Richelle Mead. She is the author of The Vampire Academy series, and two adult series that I haven't read yet (I can't find them ANYWHERE!!!!) Anyway, I love Richelle Mead. I got my first ever signed book from her and I am truly fangirl for her work. I pimp the VA series all over my book blog. No joke. I don't think I go a week without bringing it up.

Also, Cassandra Clare - author of The Mortal Instruments series and The Infernal Devices series. Anyone who can make a character like Jace is a true goddess.

And freshly added to this list is Lauren Oliver, author of Delirium and Before I Fall. I haven't read Before I Fall yet, but it is definitely on my list. After reading Delirium I was breathless. Her writing is so beautiful and I will be eternally envious.

What is your number one dream?
To be carried around in a kangaroo pouch.

Third or first person? Past or present tense?
First and past. I've tried writing with the alternatives and I've always had a really hard time finding my character's voice.

Will you be participating in NaNoWriMo?
Yes! I will! I don't know if I'll complete the 50k words, but I already have the basic gist (how redundant!) of what I am going to write.

Biggest must-have while writing?
Something to chew on (preferably twizzlers) otherwise I'll bite my lip or my nails - and those are already in horrible condition.


That's all for now! Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed :) Stay tuned for Margiie's interview coming tomorrow!

If you are a teen who adores writing, you can join the team! All you have to do is locate the link in the sidebar and fill out the aapplication :D

Friday, September 9, 2011

A marvelous welcome.

Hello everybody! Welcome to my new blog, WriTEEN Adventures.

I've been book blogging for about five months, focusing on why I love reading. This blog is to focus on why I love writing! And I want you to be right there with me. I'll be gathering other teenagers who love to write just as much as I do, and hopefully together we can make one awesome blogger community.

But you don't have to be a teen to enjoy our crazy anecdotes and writing struggles. Anybody could relate! I want to hear what you have to say. WriTEEN Adventures is a place where all writers can come together and help one another.

So, enjoy :D

If you'd like to join the WriTEEN team, all you have to do is fill out the application in the sidebar.