Family Time

I'm having a slight break from the blog this week to spend time with family, but I will be back on  Sunday 4th August.

Have a great week.

3rd Sunday Check-In - #ROW80

Yet another slow week and my monthly goal is slipping further and further away. I had planned on getting up extra early this week to get writing out of the way before my son wakes up, unfortunately that didn't go too well. Firstly because every time I tried, my son somehow knew I was up and he got up too, and secondly because he hasn't been sleeping well at all this week and has had me up all through the night so when morning comes I feel like a zombie.

I have completed four more stories though, and I have been doing my best to write in short stints whenever I get the opportunity. So, despite being behind, I feel good about what I have done with the time I have had available.

Next week won't be any easier. My 20 year old nephew (who I haven't seen since he was 6!) has just flown over from Canada to surprise my Dad for his birthday, so we have lots of family days out planned.

How about you? How did you get on this week? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you. And remember, if you want to visit others in the #ROW80 blog hop you can use the links below.

Weekly Inspirations #23

Image from My Opera

Here are my favourite links from the past week. Have a great weekend.

The Single Largest Cause of Writer’s Block–Might Not Be What You Believe http://buff.ly/1dMjsnR  Really great idea!

How I Plan my Chapters http://goo.gl/JysDo  via @Flickimp

Crafting Memorable Characters http://goo.gl/GIXhs  via @emilyjeanroche

How Shifting Your Perspective Can Change Your Writing http://goo.gl/GZYKt  via @pro_editor

Pull the plug on the Inner Critic who's blocking your writing. http://bit.ly/16P2GRe 

8 Tips For Writing Dialogue http://wp.me/p2yTLD-mp 

YA Literary Agents Share What They Are Looking For http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2013/07/ya-literary-agents-share-what-theyre.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2Fkidlit+%28Adventures+in+YA+Publishing%29 …

Decoy Dialogue http://buff.ly/14OX3qK  via @mooderino

Writers: You Might Be Doing It Wrong If… http://buff.ly/13K1BMK  via @ChuckWendig

Review of Eyes Ever to The Sky by Katie French

Description (from NetGalley)

Cover links to amazon

When Hugh wakes up in a smoldering crater—no memory, no clothes—a single thought echoes in his head…trust no one. Frightened and alone, with no memory of who he is, he stumbles upon a grisly murder scene and is fatally shot.  He wakes, only to find he can heal himself. He has superpowers, and he’s going to need them.

Desperate and bleeding, Hugh stumbles upon fifteen-year-old Cece, who’s got enough troubles of her own. Between caring for her bipolar mother and trying not to get evicted from her run-down trailer, Cece may be the only person struggling as much as Hugh. Drawn to Hugh, Cece finds a love she’s never known. But when the real killer—a man-hunting beast—chooses another victim, Hugh and Cece realize they must unlock the clues to their past if they have any chance at a future.

My Review

This YA Paranormal Romance was certainly an enjoyable and interesting read and brings something a little different to the genre. That being said, it is heavily cliched with the stunningly handsome male character with the perfect abs falling for the girl from a dysfunctional family and constantly having to rescue her.

For me, other than the opening chapter, I found the first half of the book to be a little slow and there were quite a few scenes that I found added nothing to the story and could have been cut altogether or shortened. The second half however was a different story and really picked up pace. In fact, I read the whole second half in one night.

Despite the cliches, all the characters in this book were really well fleshed out and I feel like I know them all (especially Cece's mother!) and would like to find out how their stories continue. Luckily this is the first book in a series so I'll be able to.

Overall, although I wasn't blown away by this story, I did enjoy it and will read the next one when it is released.

I give Eyes Ever to The Sky 3 out of 5.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating System:

1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.

2 star: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.

3 star: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.

4 star: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.

5 star: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.

How Even Bad Writing Days Can Be Good

"This is a strange thing, but I've noticed it many times: a bad day's work is a lot better than no day's work at all." Philip Pullman

Image courtesy of Ambro / freedigitalphotos.net

Let's face it, when it comes to writing, everyone has bad days (trust me, I'm having a lot of them lately), whether it's life getting in the way and you seemingly have no time, or you have the time but nothing will come, or everything you write is awful. But maybe, just maybe, that bad day isn't as bad as it seems.

No Time to Write

Even in the busiest of days there will be five or ten minutes when you don't have to be anywhere or doing anything. It is amazing what you can fit in when you write in short bursts throughout the day. If you only manage to get one line written, it is much better than having written nothing at all.

If you really can't find five minutes to write, you can still be thinking about your writing while doing other tasks that don't take your full attention (taking a shower, cooking tea, washing up). Use this time to think about the next scene you need to write, character names, plot twists, blog posts. Take the time to daydream and see where it leads, you could come up with a new story idea. All of this will help when you finally do have the time to sit down and write.

I have written in more detail on this problem in these two posts Turn Those Spare Minutes into Gems and Creative Writing in One Minute a Day.

Drawing a Blank

You have the time, you sit down at your computer, and ... nothing.

There are few ways that you can turn around this kind of bad day:

Revise what you have already written. It could be that you have written your characters into a corner and you don't know how to get them out of it, maybe you have made them do something out of character and now they are refusing to move forward. Take this time to read back through what you have written already and see if you can find where the problem stems from.

Edit another piece of writing. Writing and editing use different parts of the brain, if you are having problems writing maybe your brain is in an editing state, make the most of it.

Journal/Free-write. If you can't think of anything to write about, or you are stuck on a particular scene, journal about the problem. Set a timer for ten or fifteen minutes and just start writing. Don't think about it, just put words on paper/screen, you may be surprised by what you discover. It may be that you manage to work through the problem and know what you need to do next.

Use writing prompts/exercises. Even if what you write has nothing to do with your current project it could be just enough to unlock that creative part of your brain and get things flowing again. If not, at least you have written something, it's all good practice.

Read. Take this time to read a craft book, you may discover just what you need to get you writing again. Alternatively, read a fiction book and pay attention to how the writer uses description, setting, pace, dialogue etc. Whether the writing is good or bad, you can always learn something from it.

Everything You Write is Awful

Every writer goes through this and chances are, it really isn't that bad. The important thing is that you are writing. Even if it is awful, it can be edited. You can't do anything with a blank page.

So, before you wollow in self-pity/loathing, remember this: even bad writing days can be good.

How about you? How do you get yourself through those bad days? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you.

2nd Sunday Check-In - #ROW80 and Ideas Challenge

#ROW80

Another slow week not helped by the fact my son broke up for the summer on Thursday. I did manage to get one story written but I am now very behind on my goals for the month. Having a four year old at home for the next six weeks I think I am going to have to set the alarm and get up extra early to try and get some uninterrupted writing time.

Ideas Challenge

This has been going much better and I now have a very long list of potential story ideas. It is amazing how quickly you can train yourself to notice more of what is going on around you once you set your mind to it.

How about you? How did you get on this week? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you. And remember, if you want to visit others in the #ROW80 blog hop you can use the links below.

Weekly Inspirations #22

Image from Animal Talk

Here are my favourite links from the past week. Have a great weekend.

25 Things To Know About Your Story’s Stakes http://buff.ly/148XCv1  via @ChuckWendig

The Importance of Output: Could You Be Doing More? http://buff.ly/12SESuu  via @JodyHedlund

Where Does Inspiration Come From? http://goo.gl/jTtvh  via @emilyjeanroche

Random Thoughts:Getting back in the Groove http://goo.gl/fvXj7  via @barbbradley

The One Thing You Need to Do to Become a More Confident Writer http://goo.gl/KjQ1j  via @pro_editor

Why, Why, Why? http://buff.ly/18pd9cO  via @LiveWriteThrive Great post with a great reminder

Review of Strange Worlds: Surreal Stories and Tainted Tales by Victoria Pearson

Description (From Amazon)

Cover links to amazon

Slip into fifteen dark tales that show the world through a strange new perspective. Take your imagination on a journey that begins before birth and continues long after death, stopping off to marvel, tremble and wonder at the strange worlds in between. Meet zombies, vampires, leprechauns, even a genie, as you have never seen them before. Ponder what the world feels like for a child as yet unborn, spend a sleepless night with a would-be murderer, and see what becomes of the angel who trades places with one of the most vulnerable in our society. Find out what life feels like when you can no longer rely on your senses, when you have no-one left to trust, not even yourself… If you like your short fiction shrouded in darkness and sprinkled with the strange, then this is the collection for you. Leap into the unknown, and see the world through someone else’s mind…

My Review

I reviewed Victoria Pearson's first short story collection, Strange Love - Short Stories and Twisted Tales, over on Goodreads back in February (read that review here) and loved it. So, when I was given the chance to review her second collection I jumped at the chance, and it didn't disappoint.

The title of this collection says it all really, some of these stories are very surreal but they are all thoroughly enjoyable. As with her first collection, no two stories are the same and all of the characters are fully formed and really come to life. This time there are 15 stories to sink your teeth into and not a dud one among them, but if I had to pick favourites they would be Chasing Rainbows, Alienated, The Encounter, Clock Watching and The Mind Pit (recognised a lot of myself in this one!).

If you like your tales with a dark edge, then this collection is for you. I can't wait to see what Victoria brings out next.

I give Strange Worlds 4 out of 5.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating System:

1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 star: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 star: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 star: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 star: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.

Sunday Check-In - #ROW80 and Ideas Challenge

#ROW80

I probably picked one of the worst times to start this challenge as my husband goes away next week (he's in the Merchant Navy). Instead of spending more time on my writing I have actually spent less, concentrating on doing things as a family instead. His next trip is set to be a really long one so I have no regrets about this, after all, family should always come first. For that reason I will also be taking tomorrow off and there will be no blog post, but normal service will resume on Wednesday.

That being said, I have managed to complete two flash fiction pieces and have three more worked out and started, so I am confident that I can catch up and stay on target to get 20 done by the end of the month.

Ideas Challenge

In Monday's post I set myself a challenge to notice as many of the ideas that would normally pass us by in everyday life as I possibly could. On the first day this went really well and because I was more conscious of it, I noticed a lot more than I normally would and came up with quite a few new story ideas as well as certain elements, such as places and activities, that I would like to include in other stories.

After that, life kind of got in the way and I went back to noticing only half as much. I am going to continue this though and try to train myself to be more open to, and aware of, my surroundings.

How about you? How did you get on this week? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you. And remember, if you want to visit others in the #ROW80 blog hop you can use the links below.

Weekly Inspirations #21

Image from Animal Talk

Here are my favourite links from the past week. Have a great weekend.

RT @pshares: "Go and sin some more": @goldenthis on breaking your boundaries as a writer. http://ow.ly/mDHxA 

Inspiring RT @myriamloor #amwriting #MondayBlogs http://plainobserver.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-night-of-reflection-morning-of-prayer.html …

Great list RT @10MinuteWriter Twenty Things To Give Your Characters That Will Make Them More Vivid http://ow.ly/mIjWb 

27 Seriously Cool Animals http://buff.ly/10No9uR  via @wherecoolthingshappen

Better Storytelling Part Two http://buff.ly/132fIwN  via @mooderino

5 Traits of the Successful Author http://buff.ly/12pD1B1  via @KristenLambTX Great post, love the Hannibal quote

A Thousand Story Ideas: Challenge Accepted

"Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any." Orson Scott Card

Image via deviantart.net

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I am aiming to write 20 pieces of flash fiction this month as part of Camp NaNo and ROW80. That being the case, I need to start opening my eyes and my mind a lot more and picking up the ideas that are already around me.

Reading the above quote gave me a Barney Stinson moment. (If you have no idea what I'm on about, see image then go watch How I Met Your Mother, you can thank me later.)

So this week I am going to try my hardest to notice as many story ideas as I possibly can and capture them in a notebook or on my phone. I'll update you all on Sunday with how I got on.

Anyone want to join in? Go on, you know you want to. You can update your progress in the comments on this post or wait till Sunday's post, I'd love to hear how you get on.

A Round of Words in 80 Days - late to the party

I have just discovered an excellent writing challenge that may be just what I need. If you haven't heard of it before, A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) takes place four times a year. You set yourself measurable goals for the next 80 days and check-in at least once a week to let everyone know how you are getting on (I will be checking in on Sundays). The current round started on 1st July so I am a little late to the party but the website does say that you can jump in at any time.

So, here are my goals for this round:

• Take part in Camp NaNo during July. I am being a rebel camper though and instead of working on a novel I want to write at least 20 pieces of flash fiction.
• I will spend Aug editing the pieces I have written and either submitting them to magazines or putting together my own collection.
• Read and review 11 books.
• On top of this, by the end of the 80 days I will have either worked through the kinks in my WIP and be progressing with that, or I will finally lay it rest and start work on another novel.

Are any of you taking part in ROW80? Have you taken part before? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you.

As this is a blog hop, if you are taking part, or want to check out the blogs of other's who are, you can use the links below.

Weekly Inspirations #20

Image from Animal Talk

My RSS reader is playing up this week after Google Reader closed down so I only have a few of links for you. But I will be posting again on Sunday with something related to the second link. Have a great weekend.

#IWSG "You're Not A Real Writer" -- RUBBISH! http://goo.gl/GC5bN  via @LissaBryan

Setting Writing Goals. #ROW80 http://goo.gl/T28Eu  via @emilyjeanroche

Tuesday's Inspiration ala Margaret Chittenden http://goo.gl/qmskO  via @JanetL717

Review of Restless Spirits by Jean Marie Bauhaus

Description (From Amazon)

Cover links to Amazon

Ghost hunter Veronica "Ron" Wilson gets killed in the line of duty; but after she herself becomes a ghost, trapped in the house where she died, she realizes that the mystery has just begun. She and several other ghosts are being held prisoner in the house by the same sadistic spirit that killed them. Their captor likes to entertain itself by torturing its fellow ghosts, and as if that isn't bad enough, it appears to have the ability to kill ghosts, devouring the poor souls for whom it no longer has any use. Ron's only hope is to convince the other terrified ghosts to rally together to find a way to defeat the evil spirit so they can move on to their final rest. But Ron's not in any hurry to get there once she discovers that there's still a lot of living to do after death.

My Review

If you like ghost stories and/or paranormal romance, you will love this book; it brings the two together brilliantly.

The characters are immediately likeable and I was sucked straight into the story from page one. When there are quite a few different characters in a story I find that there are usually one or two that I don't particularly care about, not so in this book. I found them all well rounded and believable and would happily read more about all of them.

Overall this was a very enjoyable read that I found hard to put down, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

I give Restless Spirits 4 out of 5. 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Inspired Writing

"If you only write when inspired, you may be a fairly decent poet, but you'll never be a novelist." Neil Gaiman

Image courtesy of rose zombie / freedigititalphotos.net

I can't comment on what it takes to be a decent poet, but I do know from first hand experience that waiting for inspiration is a fools game when it comes to writing novels.

I have had plenty of opportunity over the past couple of weeks to put in some dedicated writing time, even if it was just 30 minutes here and there. Unfortunately, inspiration was in short supply and I fell into the trap of doing other things, waiting for the feeling to take hold. Obviously that magical inspiration never came and very little work got done.

I know just as well as anybody that the only way to feel inspired is to start working. When I am busy writing I find that I am flooded with more and more ideas (not always relevant, but I write them down and squirrel them away for later). So why do I, and many others I am sure, keep falling into this trap?

Maybe it's because we are worn out and need a break, or maybe we just want to goof off for a while and it's easier to tell ourselves it's because we need inspiration to write. Whatever the reason, this week I am making a concerted effort to create my own inspiration and gets words down on paper/screen.

How about you? Do you only write when inspired, or do you become inspired by writing in the first place?