I Am...

inspired by abby (with permission).

i am the pink in a flower
i am an inside joke
i am the crunch of amber leaves
i am a sunny day

i am a baby's impossibly deep laugh lines
i am a silver lining
i am happy tears (and sometimes sad ones)
i am a goal reached

i am a good book
i am addition and subtraction
i am a black and white photo
i am wibbly-wobbly, and sometimes spacey-wacey
i am a knit hat
i am a fresh pack of pencils
i am an April shower

i am the clickety-clack of a keyboard
i am an army of bubbles
i am the deep blue sea
i am an uncontrollable laugh

i am a soft bed
i am a swirly whirlpool
i am old green bottles

i am the shifting sand
i am an overfilled moleskine
(sometimes) i am ruby red
(and other times) i am gloomy grey

i am the watched pot
i am an a near empty inkwell
i am the most illegible cursive
i am a blooming flower

i am jumping jacks
i am violin solos
i am long drives
i am notes scribbled in the margins

i am the mild winter days
i am the coziest nights
i am bear hugs
i am the sweat on a glass of sweet tea
i am the warmth of hot cocoa

i am foggy moors
i am a broiling desert

i am the last stand
i am the, "For Narnia!"
i am the last supper

but most of all
i am me.

xoxo | annika

Steal like an artist

Good artists copy, but great artists steal.
— Pablo Picasso

In case you were wondering, no, this is not me announcing I'm going to remove the anti-copy+paste code on here or start posting photos from Pinterest. Never. Here's the deal: a while ago, I discovered the webpage for Steal Like An Artist (And Nine Other Things Nobody Told Me) by Austin Kleon. And it painfully confused me.

"What?" I stared the the screen, dumbstruck. "Why is he saying to steal?"

I closed out the webpage and went back to whatever I was doing. Still, those words stuck with me, even though I wasn't quite sure what they meant. Or what they had to do with me or anything I liked. But, just the other day, I understood. Through a saying from a Bible verse: There is nothing new under the sun. No matter what you believe, I think we can agree on that. Everything is a remix, the reloaded version of what came before it. Even me and you. Even this blog, I'm sure.

I don't want to be original. Originality is unoriginal because of the simple fact everyone is trying to be original. I want to be an artist, and I want to steal like one. Because artists don't simply 'steal'. Not in a literal (or illegal!) way. At least, the real ones don't. Artists reverse-engineer, artists remodel, artists start with the foundation of what's there and build up; until you have something completely new (and maybe even a little revolutionary).

Steve Jobs did it. So did van Gogh. And Beyonce.

I think I will too.

xoxo | annika

'Twas the night

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there;
-- First verse from A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore or Henry Livingston, Jr

It's finally, finally, Christmas Eve. I've managed to get everything in order, even though it took one peppermint mocha and half a tin of cinnamon Altoids. Which seem to have headache reliving properties...

My Christmas shopping--done yesterday  at the last minute--was awkward. Extremely awkward, especially with curious little boys peering into the cart, following me around the store and not-so-subtly pointing out what they wanted. But, thanks to my big sister powers, they still don't know what they're getting. 

As I have all my life, I'm looking forward to the epic endgame of the Holiday Season that is Christmas. To joy, happiness and the birthday of Jesus Christ. And (yes) opening presents; along with the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

xoxo | annika

happy thanksgiving

I was going to write more, but I think this speaks for itself. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates it.

xoxo | annika

TGIF

clockwise:

01. yarn. 02. blackeyed susans. 03. autumn spice tea. 04. jeans. 05. bokeh. 06. nancy drew.

When I was younger, I really didn't get the infatuation society has with Friday, or the weekend in general. I get it now. It's two days to do the things you really want to. The things you really love doing. Two days set apart from reality, where anything can happen.

So, this weekend, why don't you...

01. Read a book.

02. Take some photos.

03. Write.

04. Make time for friends.

05. Blog.

06. Laugh.

07. Paint a picture.

08. Be yourself.

Thank God it's Friday. 

all images taken and edited with vintage camera. #idontdoinstagram

TCWT Blog Chain - September

“How much does setting affect your novels and stories? What are some of your favorite ways to portray setting?”

I love setting. It's one of the biggest parts of any story--Brave would not have been Brave without Disney-Pixar's beautiful, cool hued take on ancient (Celtic?) Scotland. Harry Potter would have not been HP without Hogwarts. (Ravenclaw House FTW!) And so on.

But as much as I love setting, it's something I struggle with. When I first started writing, setting wasn't important to me. I'm serious--even as recently as six months ago I could have an idea before plopping it in a mind-bogglingly different setting. Then another. And another. And another. 

This year, I'm doing major planning for my NaNoWriMo 12' novel, Deathwish. Aside from trying as hard as I can to make sure my main character, Kyrie Deccad, is both well rounded and relatable; I'm paying attention to setting as well. Politics and the polluted, toxic environment of my world play a big part in my novel.

One of my favorite ways to portray setting is to have it be mainly an effect of my character's actions. If she's joined a rebellion, the only person she can blame is herself when she gets banned from the showers for a month for using four times her allotted water supply per week.

...

Alright, I should probably stop before this becomes a long winded dialog about the horrors I plan to inflict on the cast of Deathwish. *cough* Thank you for reading, everyone, and I look forward to your commentary. Tell me, what are some of your favorite parts about setting and how do they affect your stories?

September 5–http://musingsfromnevillesnavel.wordpress.com–Musings From Neville’s Navel

September 6–http://oliviasopinions.wordpress.com–Olivia’s Opinions

September 7–http://miriamjoywrites.wordpress.com–Miriam Joy Writes

September 8–http://kirstenwrites.wordpress.com–Kirsten Writes!

September 9–http://writingbeyondthemoon.blogspot.com–Beyond the Moon

September 10–http://crazyredpen.blogspot.com–Crazy Red Pen

September 11–http://ebonquill.wordpress.com–The Ebony Quill

September 12–http://realityisimaginary.blogspot.com–Reality Is Imaginary

September 13–http://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.com–This Page Intentionally Left Blank

September 14–http://incessantdroningofaboredwriter.wordpress.com–The Incessant Droning of a Bored Writer

September 15–http://allegradavis.wordpress.com–All I Need Is A Keyboard

September 16–http://teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com–Teens Can Write, Too! (We will be announcing the topic for next month’s chain)

hello, autumn

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

photo inspired by kinga

It's still hot, but there's a cool breeze that keeps blowing through. Leaves are beginning to fall, turning various shades of brown, gold and dark red. The last roses are blooming, making one last stand before their spiked branches grow barren and brittle. Thoughts of hot soups, jackets and boots creep at the edges of our minds as we wonder when it'll be time to start making some pocket change by blowing + bagging the leaves again. 

Hello, Autumn. So nice to make your acquaintance again.

xoxo,

annika

I hath returned!

I would like to thank everyone for their FAQ submissions. I will no longer be accepting them as of today, so again, thank you!  

Please excuse the epic randomness of the last post. I was assuming I would see the latest Legend of Korra episode on Saturday, but it didn't air in honor of Memorial Day. Nick showed a rerun of the very first episode instead. Odd, since this show is set in a world that's basically an Asia expy.  There were new episodes of Young Justice and Green Lantern: the Animated Series, which are actually set in this world (or at least the US)... Thank goodness for Legend of Korra dedicated Tumblrs, though. They replicate the 'agshuilskyagfdyuegykigagf ohmygosh this is epic' feeling perfectly. 

Moving on, I've noticed in the past month or two that this blog has increasingly expanded to other subjects besides writing. Mostly because I haven't written a whole bunch. Le sigh. You can blame a mild case of writer's block and I dunno... the entire internet for that.  

I'm naturally a slow writer, mostly because I want to get it right the first time. That, and I'm probably imagining what I think every other person would say about my writing. It doesn't matter how many top 20s I get into or how much good feedback I get or how much I know the meaning of the word first draft, my head still doesn't understand that I do fine why I write what feels right. 

And at the end of the day, writing a novel {or anything, for that matter} is freaking daunting. 

Think of how hard it is to read a book. Now imagine you have to write one. With characters that have to somehow be real as a zit but still a tool of escape from this world. And an actual plot. Oh wait, I almost forgot--it has to be good too! Happy typing. :P

I'm kidding {mostly...}. The shadow proves the sunshine. Writing wouldn't be half as awesome if some things about it weren't... not awesome. 

So why don't we all suck it up and glue pen to paper? It's not like we could just give it up of our own free wills, with 50 people running around up in our heads and all...

meow,

the pen is my catnip 

mayday, mayday!

Wow, it's May already. Just one more month until summer.

...

Gah, I know this post is off to a booring start. But come on... it was this or a mega fangirling/rant Star Wars/Young Justice/Legend of Korra/Avengers post. 

Joking. Even though if I did post one, you'd probably have a phobia of animated/fantasy/sci-fi pictures and the acronym 'omg' for the rest of your natural life. I need to stop using text talk on here...

Anywayyyys:

 001} I'll be guest posting at An Autumn Day sometime this month.

 002} I'm reading Matched by Ally Condie. oh. my. goshbubbles. This thing is a triumph of the human spirit, from our darkest depths to our most heroic heights. And the worldbuilding is so deep and detailed it's almost like you live there yourself. If we did live in the Society, this would be high on the Hundred Novels list. 

 003} Read this blog. Don't die laughing. 

 004} Read this magazine. Fall in love. Get inspired. 

And please forgive the complete and utter vulgarity of the following image, but I think my writerly readers out there might relate:

http://www.jimchines.com/2011/04/comic-amusement/

But seriously- don't hire someone to shoot you if you don't finish that novel. Because that would be stupid. Really stupid. Besides, guns are dangerous. ;) 

keep on trucking,

your resident wordbender 

PS} Yes, wordbender. And did you notice how I used the '00*insert numeral under ten here*' up there? I totally sounded like a secret agent. ^_^ 

The Problem With Sci-Fi and Fantasy Today

I love Sci-Fi and Fantasy probably more than the next person. But as a girl, I'm finding it hard to watch anything without looking at a damsel in distress or someone who dresses in next to nothing and makes the average female look obese. Or who doesn't have a romantic interest.

Let me state a few things about myself:

001: I have no interest in boys. 
002: I'm fairly lean, but am I stick thin? No.
003: As much as I love fashion, most of my wardrobe consists of jeans and tee shirts with the Batman logo or the words Star Wars on them in some way.

And I presume that it's like that for many women and girls who are not afraid to let their geekiness be known, to live outside the box. Who'd just as soon throw on some lipstick and heels with their Empire Strikes back tee than wear a mico-mini. But what does the media give us?

Piles of fluffy romantic crap and Victoria's Secret fashion shows- IN SPACE!!!!!!

Of course, there are exceptions. Characters like Hermione Granger (Harry Potter), Avatar Korra (The Legend of Korra) and Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) are showing people that it's perfectly normal for women in Sci-Fi and Fantasy to be awesome, if not beyond awesome.

We still have a long way to go, though. The images of Leia cowering with her blaster behind Luke and laying half-naked among Jabba's voluminous rolls of fat will be branded deep into our culture for generations.

And then we have another issue: the absence of women of color and other races in these (and most other) genres.

In fact, the closest thing I can find to a colored character in a major role in a major franchise in Sci-Fi/Fantasy is Ahsoka Tano- and she's orange, people. There's also Luminara Unduli, whose features are similar to those of many African-Americans- oh, wait. She's green. The exact same color as the avocado mask I spread on my face once a month.

So, I ask you, aspiring authors, game creators, script writers- are you willing to write and design up to the challenge? Or will you continue to cater to the norm?

Snippets of Story- April

Yay! Katie finally posted the linkup for Snippets of Story- April! Here are this month's contenders:

Ty tilts his head, curiously laying down his fork. He pokes me. "Ally, you okay?" His big, four year old eyes stare at me. It almost hurts to lie to him.
I shake my head, smiling a little. "No, I'm fine." Turning to Aaron and deciding to make small talk, I give him a big, fake grin. "So, how's college?"
Aaron looks surprised at my sudden interest, but nods enthusiastically. "Oh, awesome; my classes are great." He pauses for a second, glancing up at everyone else. "I have a surprise."
Mom looks interested." Yes?" she asks, leaning in.
"Cate's coming over tomorrow! Isn't that awesome? You can finally meet her!" His grin is almost as bright as the sun. I suddenly have the urge to advocate natural gas, for all the green capabilities of my own inventions.
"Totally awesome," I mutter. "I'm like, psyched." To my embarrassment, my words are filled to the brim with sarcasm.
Aaron frowns a little, giving me a weird look. "Ally, can I talk to you after dinner?"
Mom raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. I shoot her a look that says Stay out of this before turning to Aaron. "Why?"
It's Aaron's turn to avoid gazes. "You'll see..."- Of Metal Rainbows

I narrow my eyes to slits, ignoring the sparks that painfully hit my skin as I weld the parts together.
"Aren't you ever going to take a break?" Gavin raises an eyebrow, picking up the tray again. "Or are you just that eager to leave?"
His words rattle me like a hurricane against a skyscraper. "No... of course not."
"I can tell you hate it back there." Gavin's hand reaches for my own.
I yank it away, picking up a screwdriver to cover my actions. "I don't belong here- you know that," I say, avoiding his eyes.
"But you do." Gavin sighs. "Ally, you don't understand... you have no idea how much this place has changed you."
I close my eyes. "I do." It's a lie. As usual. - Of Metal Rainbows

I lean against Gavin, watching as the glass casket is lowered. My heart aches as I notice the soft smile etched on her face. I am tempted to believe the funeral home did that, but something in me knows that's a Grace Amos smile. Pure, happy and finally at peace. - Of Metal Rainbows

...Yes, those are all from the same novel. A mixture of random scenes I jotted down and in-order stuff. For those of you who have been here for a while, you'll remember I dropped this novel for development reasons. It's fine now, with a (mostly) new main character and a more developed plot.


Have a great weekend!

Some Solutions for the {Practical} Fulfillment of a Common Writers' Fantasy

The idea of a typewriter is probably very romanticized now days. It probably used to be fairly hard work to get the best of it, and grammatically and spelling mistakes weren't fun. But today, we have computers, tablets, phones and all sorts of other things, so there is no longer really a use for them anymore.

Right?

Well, while that is probably true, one of the most famous aspects of the typewriter is it's sound. The clackity-clack, the bding, the wistch. And I don't know this because I have a typewriter, it's because I'm listening to those sounds right now. You see, I have a freeware installed on my computer that sounds like a typewriter whenever I type. I can turn it off while by pressing the mute button. It doesn't interfere with videos and music, since I probably don't type while watching or listening to them them.

Now, while Word is great, sometimes it can be a little... confusing. Which is why I like the fullscreen, minimal word processor Dark Room. It's also freeware, and don't worry about that slightly weird black and green combination- by right clicking (in the program) and choosing 'Preferences', you can change the font and background color to whatever you want. I personally like a black background with white font for nighttime, and vice versa for day.

Now, why don't we both go live out our typewriter fantasies? Even if you don't write the Great American/Your Country Novel, I do hope you have some fun writing your Great Novel.

Five Minute Friday- Gift

We've all seen this linkup at one time or another- write for five minutes on a Friday and link up.  Today's tag is 'Gift'...Want to try it too? Click here.

GO.

Life is a gift. One that, once lost, is never given again. It's more valuable than diamonds, rarer than the the most prized ruby and more perishable than the best dishes. 

Gift.

Love is a gift. Not easily won, no matter how fast things go. Months for one person, days for another. The cheapest to get, and the hardest to loose. But it is a fickle thing- one wrong word, one wrong move, and it fades away, disappearing into the whispering air.  

Gift.

Children are a gift. One that only few people give thanks for. Others- for others, a child's laugh is something to worry about, a hug that is pushed away, a drawing that is christened ugly, and a life that is ignored.

Gift.  

STOP. 

I suppose this was rather short, but I hope you enjoyed it! Also, I need to stop forgetting my linkups- I'll be sure to make Silver Lining Sundays and we'll pick up from there. Also, did I tell you I won last week's Beauty in Design Challenge? For those of you who voted for me, thanks, because I had a lot of fun. :) 

Snippets of Story- March

It's that time of month again! Presenting: Snippets of Story, March! Want to do it too? For more info, click here. 

Darren, Crown Prince of the Fire Kingdom, parried the fierce sword strike of his brother, Corad.“I think someone’s burning out,” the boy smirked;his cheeks so ruddy with glee they almost matched his vibrant red hair as he pushed against his brother’s blade. Even though he was only a year younger than Darren, who was 17, he looked not a day older than 13. Darren gritted his teeth at the insult. He knew his brother meant no harm, but it did annoy his competitive streak. He was a… hothead, in the truest sense of the word. Despite being from the Fire Kingdom, it was almost surprising in the cold, level court of King Erik. “In your dreams,” he smirked, darting away before doubling around and lightly touching the sword to his brother’s collar bone. “I win.”- Collide

"For the next week we will study this book and the traits all fairy tales carry." She paused, clearing her throat and straightening her lumpy tweed skirt before continuing. “You will be tested on Friday." A few kids groaned in response. "There are five stories. Read them in any order you want. As long as you read them."
I rolled my eyes. How old did she think we were, seven?  I picked up the heavy book, flipping through it. It consisted of Cinderella, Princess and the Pea, Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel. The usual lineup. But as I looked to see which one was the best, I realized I didn't know what the fifth one was. I flipped to the back of the book to find hastily sewn in, worn brown pages. I could see where the other ones had been ripped out. -  Night's Prophecy 

“Demi,” Galen blanched, rushing over.  He rolled me onto my back, his eyes full of guilt. “I’m so sorry,” I murmured, avoiding his eyes. Galen shook his head, trying to help me up. “Don’t talk like that. Come on, we’ll-” “It’s only fair,” I whispered. “I took his life, I shouldn’t expect any less.”
“But-” Galen cut himself off. “I love you,” he blurted. “And I’ve never told you. But I do, and I always have.”
I opened my mouth, but darkness tugged at the edges of my vision. My breaths were numbered. I slowly drew my finger down his cheek. “I know.” And as the last syllable left my mouth, I slipped into the darkness.- The Thirteenth Olympian  

Thalia trudged back to her hotel room, not quite sure what to do. She burnt to a crisp in the sun, so it wasn't like she could just waste the day away on the beach tanning. So she decided to go window shopping, just to keep from having to go back to the hotel room. As she peeked into the different windows, feeling out of place, something caught her eye. A sequin covered, vibrant, deep royal blue dress glinted back. Thalia smiled in spite of herself. That was the very dress Analiese had pointed out to her a week ago, hinting that she wanted it.  It was like a lifetime ago... she thought, stepping inside. Weird New Age music pulsed in the background of the nearly empty store. Glittery dresses and shoes were on display, dancing in the color-changing light. Suddenly, the quiet was interrupted. Angry shouts came from the back room, then gunshots rang out. Thalia froze before rushing towards the stock room door, looking in.- Murder In Milan 

 Blogger is doing something weird with the formatting in my blockquotes... I don't know why. But I assure you, I do hit the enter button when writing ;)

© 2012 Annika Elipton

Write For One and Write For All

Okay, no matter where a writer goes, there will be someone who won't like their work or will think of every single reason to debunk it. From asking a question:

"Why would there be a [blank]?" 

To accusing you of something:

"You're messing up [blank]!"

 It seems like it would be the most fun to just laugh in the person's face and ignore them, but sometimes it's not that easy. Truthfully, you can't care what anyone thinks. You won't get anywhere if you're trying to please everyone. And if in some magical way you do, then there is a 000.1 percent chance you're happy. If you are, well then, great! Most likely, you aren't, though. Which is bad.You should write for yourself. Not your friends. Not your English teacher. Not whoever else. You.  

But who cares? If they do have a problem with your writing, have them be the villain and then have the hero(es) in your newest novel take. Them. Down.  

Ahem. Kidding...

But writing is meant to ask a question: What if a girl/boy/man/woman/animal etc. decided to [insert action] and another girl/boy/man/woman/animal etc. did [blank] in retaliation to [blank] and then [blank] happened leading all up to [blank]?

As for when when people say you're 'breaking the rules'- what rules? Each writer has his own rules, because different things work for different people!  If you told ten writers to write the same novel, each would go about it differently. One would outline, one would wing it. Another would do a little each day for a month, another would stay up all night for a week writing.  

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why there are no true rules to writing.  Outside of formatting, spelling, grammar etc. that is ;)

Writing: An Indecisive Art

Writing is hard. This may sound whiny to the average person, but it really isn't. They clearly aren't taking into account the planning, thinking, and then the stressing when you swear you hit 'Ctrl + S'  before logging off. 

And then there's that day when every insecurity and put down you've ever told to stuff it that your inner editor's said comes back tenfold:

Are you kidding? You call that writing?

Seriously?

Oh, God. And you say you want to be a bestseller...

*insert character name* is a complete waste of time. A dog could tell you that.   

You and your idea of a good romance makes me sick. 

Just kill *insert character name* already... 

And the list goes on. Of course, these eventually do go away. You know, when you read back over that brilliant scene and just start crying buckets or going into hysterics over your own work.

But somehow, you get past all this. Bravo. But then you have another question as you stare at your painfully blank document:

Uh, so like, what do I write?

Yep. Even if you have about a billion notes on a story, how the heck are you supposed to just sit down an put the words to paper... er, word document? Well, to illustrate just how hard that is, I'm going to describe a common writing day:

You sit down on the sofa/chair/bed and pull out your laptop/typewriter/pen. "I think I'm gonna write a bit," you say, opening your document/typewriter/notebook. Proudly, you see the *insert number* words you've written. 

This is gonna be a piece of cake! you think. You write for about 30 minutes, then start procrastinating. In this order, you check:

{Computer Writers}

***

Email

Favorite Websites 

Blogger

Forum

RP 

Twitter, Facebook etc. (optional) 

{Pen&Paper, Typewriters}

***

Mailbox

Library

Book 

Newsletter 

And then you go back to your document and decide to give your character weird. hair for no apparent reason besides the fact you saw a totally awesome photo on Pinterest.

And in the end... you don't even remember what you set out to do. Besides google pics of cute kittens. But then, however many months/years(/lives?! O_O) later, as you hold your finished manuscript in your hands, you think:

It was all worth it. 

                 

Beautiful People: Marianna

 

I have a new 2012 nano. Of Metal Rainbows wasn't really working (well it is, but Marcelle just needs some more development and I need to think it through more), so I have a new one, plus a new character :)

1. If your character could be played by any actor, who would it be?

I'm not sure... maybe, hmnn... I have no idea. Perhaps Selena Gomez? 

2. Does your character have a specific theme song?

 Hit the Lights (Remix)  

3. What’s their worst childhood memory?

Getting embarrassed at her 6th birthday party by her rival.  

4. If your character had a superpower, what would it be?

Invisibility or flight. 

5. If your character crashed on an island with a bunch of other people, how would your character help the group survive?


She would probably find water or wood.


6. Are they married? If not, do they someday wish to be?


No. Yes.


7. What is a cause they would die for?

Her family.

8. Would they rather die fighting valiantly, or quietly at home?


Quietly at home.


9. If someone walked up to them and told them they were the child of the prophecy, would they believe them?


After the events of the novel? Maybe.


10. Do they prefer the country or the city?

She likes the idea of the country, but prefers the city. 

A Burning Inspiration

Fire doesn't really scare me. Not unless it's untamed. Or a threat. Still, I don't really care for it. Usually. 

But lately, I've kind of had a fixation with it. Not the fire itself, the embers, really. And yes, that does mean:

My favorite name is currently Ember 

My favorite phrase is 'Playing with fire' (by the way, I don't condone this. I just like the dangerous edge to the words) 

It has inspired some writing

Something is alluring about the glowing red orbs that linger for hours after you snuff out the flames, barely keeping their hold on life. They eventually go out and are relatively harmless, but remember, they are fire. You can't forget that.  

Q&A with CinderScoria!

Hiya! Annika here. Today I'm going to interview a friend and and fellow nanoer of mine. I hope you enjoy this! 

*** 

Q: This probably isn’t a question, but how about you introduce your awesome self to our readers? XD

A: Oh! Sure, no prob! *waves cheekily* Whaddup, people? I’m Jasmine, AKA CinderScoria. Most people just call me Cinder though!

Q: You have an interesting take on the forever warring angels and demons in your novel, The Lucky One. But they’re not fighting by human standards of good and evil. They’re acting on their own merits, traditions and values. What made you decide to take on this view?

A: I had this scene pop into my head, where Lucky learns that Ava and Brock are a demon and an angel, respectively. But Lucky automatically assumes that Ava’s the angel, and she gets annoyed by it. It made me think that maybe demons aren’t perpetually evil, you know? Maybe angels just seized the humans’ good vs. evil perspective and painted them as the bad guys. And then that scene grew into a book and… well, you know the rest.

Q: What inspires you?

A: For writing? Music does. Other writers do. Contests especially, because I’m very competitive and I love prompts. I also have great friends who encourage me and my writing, so that’s another thing.

Q: Do you have any other hobbies or likes you’d like to share?

A: I sing and act. Majorly. If I could do all three—singing, writing, and acting—as a career, I would. I also play the piano and the guitar, and I am a bit of a linguist.

Q: If your book is published (and it will be ;D) do you ever think there is a chance some people will try to ban it? What do you think of that?

A: Oh gosh, yes. When I started writing it I didn’t realize how controversial it would get, but I am taking a lot of things from the Bible—which I have read and respect—that could anger some people. Gabriel, for instance, is a character in my book. So is God (or Adam, as I call him) and Lucifer. It takes the idea that they’re not good and evil, they’re just races in a misunderstanding that has lasted for… a very long time. It’s fiction, but at the same time it’s really cutting it close on the line.

Q: What is your favorite genre to write?

A: Mystery and action, actually. This is my first time writing fantasy. I love crime thrillers.

Q: Who is your favorite author?

A: Gah, I have to pick one? James Patterson is tied with Rick Riordan. And Gorman Korman.

Q: What is your favorite book or book series?

A: My all-time favorite book series is the Hardy Boys. I grew up with them. LOVE them. I also love the Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series, and the Chronicles of Nick (Infinity and Invincible) series. My all-time favorite book is… Princess Academy. Probably. But there are so many of them, I just don’t know.

Q: Who, in your opinion, is the most awesomesauce character in literature?

A: Oh, I can’t choose one. There’re too many. Book literature, I’d have to say… Nick Gautier (Chronicles of Nick). I have died of laughter reading his snarky remarks. He is so awesome. Um, movies and television, it’s a serious tie between Riley Poole (National Treasure) and Carlos Garcia (Big Time Rush). DON’T LAUGH. They’re both amazingly epic, and I like Carlos because he’s one of the first genuinely happy-go-lucky guys I’ve seen. So there.

Q: What author do you aspire to be like?

A: Either Ally Carter or Rick Riordan. I love their plot styles and the way they incorporate danger and humor. It clicks so well with them!

Q: Do you plan out your novels or just wing it?

A: I plan them. Every single step. And even then it goes way off course. I’ve edited The Lucky One, like, nine times and it’s still in the editing stage.

Q: Do you have anything else you’d like to say?

A: Um, stay in school, kids, and stay true to your heart. Honestly, I’m youthful and I’m proud to say that I like the things I like and I don’t care what other people think. It doesn’t matter what they say—it’s your life and you can live it the way you want to.
Yeah, I’m not good at cheesy advice-giving sessions.
Thanks for interviewing me!

Oh Cinder, you are very, very welcome! Again, I hope you enjoyed this!  Be sure to check out her awesome novel, The Lucky One, on Wattpad!

Updates, Spice and Everything Nice

Hey, I noticed something- one of my most popular posts of all time is the Luxsoka one I did after a Fiend Friend In Need aired.  With 291 page views. 

Whoa. Okay... heheh. 

Speaking of the Clone Wars... THE SEASON FINALE AIRS NEXT WEEK!!!!!  Ahem. Fangirl moment there... 

Anyway, I have some reservations because one: Ventress is being 'baptized' into black magic, as StarWars.com says (in Mother Talzin's section). Ummmm, wha?! 

I love Fantasy and Mythology and writing Sword and Sorcery is fun and all, but come on. I think they're going way too far. This is Sci-Fi, not whatever you call this atrocity. I want explosions, not magic. It really is just the Force, but the way it is presented as... dark magic, well, yeah. In fact, I just recently saw the original Nightsister arc a couple weeks ago. I only enjoyed Anakin and Obi-Wan, and even then I was still glad I had skipped those episodes originally. 

Anyway...

I am suddenly tempted to remake my blog all white with pink for the accents. Yes, you read/heard right. Of course, I will keep this design for a bit more. Something where the accents could go from pink, to blue to purple or whatever and there won't be major changes. It still bugs me I can't make the changes I really want to with Minima yet. Oh well, a little more trial and error won't hurt anything. ;)