Bits and Bobs

I've got nothing concrete to post about today, but there are a few things buzzing around in my brain that I think deserve a mention. This is like my own way-less-cool (and way shorter) version of YA Highway's Field Trip Friday. (And seriously, you should check that out every Friday because they provide the best links and news.)

If you've ever wondered about small presses and the advantages/disadvantages of signing with one, Tangled Up In Words dubbed the month of February Small Press 411. There's so much information there, it's a must-read for every author.

Brenda Drake has started another Pitch Madness competition. Check out her blog for details ASAP- the submission window is today only! (Dang, I wish Sway was ready!)

March is a month full of awesome movies coming out on DVD. My poor poor bank account.

Have you heard? Michael Buble is coming out with a new CD! I heart him so much and I love his new song. Here's a sneak peak...

 

 

Happy weekend!

Bad Habits

Here's today's Road Trip Wednesday question hosted by YA Highway:

Spring cleaning! What do you hope to "clean out" from your writing? What habits/tropes/words, etc do you want to eliminate?

Is it Spring already? I wish Alberta would get that memo.

Anyway, if I could clean out my writing, hoo-eee there would be quite a few words I'd eliminate. I know that's what revisions are for, but it would save me lots of time if I'd just stopping using them in the first place. Words like, just, so, well, yeah, really, etc. I also find I've got to revise a lot of things like I saw, I looked, I smelled, I heard, I wondered... When I'm writing a first draft, I'm in a hurry to get the story out, and those words get straight to the point. It's in revisions that I have to stretch and find better, more descriptive ways of saying stuff.

This doesn't have much to do with spring cleaning, but I've decided when I go back to the WIP I started ages ago, I'm going to plot a lot more before I start writing again. Usually I get a basic idea and then just wing it, but this leaves me with rounds and rounds of revisions. I'm hoping I can cut that back at least a teensy bit by digging deeper into the plot and characters before I even get started.

What habits would you like to eliminate? Maybe I can add them to my list.

Stolen

I've gotta dash out of the house in five minutes, so without any adieu whatsoever (bonus points if you know what movie that's from), here's my Teaser Tuesday from the very first paragraph of Stolen by Lucy Christopher:

You saw me before I saw you. In the airport, that day in August, you had that look in your eyes, as though you wanted something from me, as though you'd wanted it for a long time. (page 1)

Let me just say, this book has had me from that very first line. I wish I didn't have other stuff to do and could just sit at home and read read read so I know what happens in the end. Ah! Gotta love great books!

Vloggin' Awesome

Have you seen this? Have you have you? Because it's awesome!

The wonderful Kelsey Macke, who was part of one of Cupid's contests with me, has started a Vlog series. If you haven't seen any of the episodes, you've gotta check them out now, starting with this one because it's so full of TRUTH, hilarious truth.

Trust me, it will make your Friday.

Quarterly Check-In

Today's Road Trip Wednesday question asks:

Quarterly check-ins! We're already 1/4 of the way through the year--where are you on your reading and writing goals?

Are we talking Resolutions here? Cuz I really didn't make any. Like most people, I tend to break them and then just end up feeling like a whopping failure.

Anyway, when the New Year hit, I was thick in my revise and resubmit for Daze. My plan was to have it finished and sent in by sometime in February. I did that. Now my plan is to finish my revisions on Sway and get it query ready for April. These aren't set-in-stone goals, but I like to give myself a deadline so I have something to aim for. After that, hopefully I'll be able to get back to a WIP I started a year ago.

As for reading, I decided not to set a reading goal this year. It kinda takes the fun out of it. Reading is about the love of the story, not the number of stories.

What about you? Accomplished a bazillion goals already or just getting back on track?

Two Teasers

I'm in-between books right now, so I thought I'd pull teasers (for Teaser Tuesday) from the two books I read this past week. Both awesome books. Completely different from each other but great reads.

From The Fault In Our Stars, by John Green:

I didn't tell him that the diagnosis came three months after I got my first period. Like: Congratulations! You're a woman. Now die. (page 24)

From Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier:

Three days ago, I didn't even have an inkling about the existence of the Guardians. Three days ago, my life had still been perfectly normal. (page 58)

What are you reading this week? I can't wait to get started on The Diviners, by Libba Bray.

Soundtrack of My Novel

I finally finished my R&R of Daze and Knights. It's such a relief but also scary and nerve-wracking and stressful and now days of wondering whether I did enough or did it right or or or.

To get my mind off needless worry, and to remember what I love about the story whether it becomes a success or just a fond memory, I decided to post the soundtrack of my novel. Just a few songs since I don't get Spotify or anything like that here in Canada (not that I know of, anyway), so I'll have to use YouTube.

This song is The Song for my MS. I hear it and see a montage of scenes in my head like a movie preview.

 

I heard this song on the radio one day ages ago and one lyric just fit right in. "According to you/I'm stupid, I'm useless..."

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this piece by Beethoven (I'm learning it on the piano right now). In one scene, Jessica dances ballet with this song playing in her head.

Again, this song just FIT, especially for a certain scene. "What if I stay forever/What if there's no goodbye/Frozen for a moment here in time..."

I love me some sword fighting and battle sequences (that's my inner Dragonlance-obsessed-teen talking) and this song is perfect for my battle scene near the end. From my MS: "Together, we crossed the gates and into hell."

What are some songs from your MS or WIP?