Sweeping Declaration.

Wow... I really suck at this whole blogging thing don't I?

*blows dust off poor neglected blog*

(this is a pointless gif of Zachary Levi hugging a pillow. Just because.)

Hmmm.... so what's new with me? Well I got a promotion at my job a few months back. Which has been exciting and stressful (but not in a bad way). It's been really great. The Husband and I have been staying in our nice cool house as much as humanly possible (due to the temperature being in the 100s here), and I've been forcing the books that I love onto my younger cousins and bringing about a new generation who is addicted to Marissa Meyer, Meg Cabot and John Green. I also recently beat Kingdom Hearts for the first time in my life, which for me is an awesome accomplishment. Now I'm working my way through Kingdom Hearts II.

In other nerdy news, The Husband and I bought 6 lightsabers... So each of us could have one of each color (Red for Vader, Green for Luke, Blue for Anakin). Fighting is so much more fun with lightsabers, and the seriousness of whatever we're fighting about wears off quickly when you're battling with lightsabers.

Now onto the reason for this post (other than making it seem like I'm much better at this than I really am), I miss writing. It's been far too long since I wrote anything. It makes me incredibly sad to think about all the time I spent on NaNoWriMo and how I haven't done anything since. Sure, my job has been eating up a lot of my time and energy, but I have to stop making excuses. So the other day I made a sweeping declaration on Facebook. I've decided to write a short story once a month for the rest of year. Weather the story is only 500 words or 5,000 I just want to get back in the habit of writing. The more I write, the better I'll get. I just have to force myself to do it.

So keep an eye on this blog, I'm hoping to post some of my short stories here. Any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

Long Time, No Blog

*blows dust off blog*
*puts flower in vase to spruce things up*

Sooo, hey guys!
I just realized it's been over two months since I last posted here.

Oops.


I blame the fact of trying to find a new job.
And buying and moving into my new house.


Also, I've been incredibly uninspired lately. Not for lack of trying. I've been forcing myself to stare at my screen (sans internet) for a few hours a weekend hoping something will come out. But nothing. Still, at least I'm trying.

Even my tv blog has fallen a bit. I don't know if its a lack of focus or writers block... or maybe a mixture of both. 

Today, Helen and I went to Beans and Brews to write. Only to result in me creating a new header and the internet dying a million+ times in our two hour stay there.

*le sigh*

(an accurate representation of me vs. my writing)

Monthly Writing Group

Recently I've become addicted to a podcast called "Making It with Riki Lindhome". While this podcast is mostly about how actors and other people have made it in the entertainment industry, I find it fascinating to find out how people get their start. We always hear how certain actors go to LA/New York, meet their agent and become big movie stars. That usually (re. almost always) takes a few years to happen. This podcast is all about those forgotten years between arrival in the city and arrival in entertainment.

Recently, Riki interviewed nerd queen extraordinaire, Felicia Day. If you don't know who this person is, you need to discover her immediately. As I listened to the podcast, Felicia talked about how when she was having a really hard time in her life and career, the thing that helped keep her on track was a monthly meeting with a handful of her friends. They made goals to each other, kept each other on track and understood when things didn't quite pan out.

As she was talking about this, all I could think of was NaNoWriMo. As bad as my NaNoWriMo is, the community I discovered during the crazy month was one of the best parts. We had word wars, talked about characters, helped each other out of writer's block, it was an amazing group of people.

This gave me an idea. I know that there is a group in the Salt Lake Valley called "Writers of the West" (that meet every Thursday at The Coffee Club on Redwood and 4800 S), but meeting every week can be a bit tiresome, and I feel like giving everyone a month to get their goals done is a good idea.

So here's what it comes down to.
If you'd like to join me (and most likely Helen), for a monthly writers group (I keep wanting to say support group... which it kind of is... I guess), leave me a comment here or e-mail me and let me know what days of the week are the best for you. I'll try and accommodate everyone I can. Chances are, we'll meet the last week of the month on whatever day works for everyone.

I really think this could be awesome, so if you're interested just let me know!

Amor Deliria Nervosa

Hey, look. I'm not dead! Just unemployed.

This weekend I've had a kind of emotional reboot. Yesterday, my best friend Helen kidnapped me from my imprisonment. Being unemployed and without a vehicle has seriously put a damper on my mood, and I was in much need of a day out.

Though the term "day out" may be a little misleading. She picked me up and we went to Beans and Brews for about 5 hours to write. Both of us at a booth just writing, researching, talking about characters. Since NaNoWriMo, I hadn't been to a coffee shop to write. I had forgotten how much  loved writing in coffee shops. Especially Beans and Brews (they have the best chai tea I've ever had). It was a great reboot for my system.

Today I decided to continue the emotional reboot by doing nothing today but reading. I had been slowly working through reading Lauren Oliver's Delirium for the past few weeks, and had decided I was just going to sit down and finish it. My soul sisters Angel and Helen have sung praises about it and I wanted to give it a try.

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love — the deliria — blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Confession time: I generally don't like dystopian novels. I usually stay in my (relatively) happy contemporary YA fiction world because I have a really hard time getting into the dystopian theme and usually end up giving up half way through. They just don't appeal to me as much as other books do. That being said, I'm really glad I gave this one a chance.

I liked that the disease that everyone is afraid of being infected by is (basically) love. They break it down in a very clinical manner that makes the disease, "amor deliria nervosa," seem equally dangerous and thrilling.

Once Alex was introduced, his story with Lena was pretty predictable... that is, up until the ending. The ending, was pure brilliance. It surprised me to the point that I just stared at the last page for a good few minutes before closing the book.

Delirium is the first book in the trilogy, and I'm looking forward to see what the rest of this story has to offer.

Next up....
The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum

I wish I could say more...

Wow, that whole idea about blogging more often is NOT happening. *facepalm*

I've been unemployed for almost two weeks. When I got laid off I thought "Hey, maybe this will give me more time to write". Although, I have been keeping up pretty well on my TV blog, I keep thinking that I need to post here. I come into a new post page and just stare at the blinking cursor. Then after about 15 minutes of just staring, I turn on an episode of Psych/Charmed/TBBT or something else.

Why is it that when I was employed I had all these ideas and a treasure trove of characters, and now that I have the time to write... Nothing. Zilch. Nada.

Allowing Yourself to Suck

Q. How do you deal with writers’ block?
A. I just give myself permission to suck. I delete about 90% of my first drafts (the only exception to this rule so far has been Will Grayson, Will Grayson) so it doesn’t really matter much if on a particular day I write beautiful and brilliant prose that will stick in the minds of my readers forever, because there’s a 90% chance I’m just gonna delete whatever I write anyway. I find this hugely liberating.

I also like to remind myself of something my dad said to me once in re. writers’ block: “Coal miners don’t get coal miners’ block.”
-John Green

Oh John Green, Thank you for giving me a motto to live by through all of November and the craziness that is NaNoWriMo. This piece of advice struck me, since I firmly believe that my writing is the suckiest of all suck. It's the Suck Queen of the Suck Empire. But I've never thought about giving myself permission to be a sucky writer.

In the months since discovering the Vlogbrothers, John Green has intrigued me particularly. I've never found an author that communicates with their readers so much. While communicating with his brother through YouTube videos, he also lets his fans know him as a person. I know a lot more about him than I do about some of my all time favorite authors, and it's because of this relationship that he creates with his readers that these books are so amazing. Well that, and John Green is clearly a genius. Or insane.

John Green. Author. Nerdfighter. Youtuber. Person insane enough to sign all first edition copies of his new book The Fault in Our Stars (that you can buy here). Thank you for reminding me that it's okay to allow myself to suck.

(Another thing that is going to get me through NaNoWriMo? This song.)

That all being said, with NaNoWriMo just around the corner, I'm using this piece of advice as my personal motto for the month of November. I may not finish NaNoWriMo, but I'm definitely going to try, and going to give myself permission to suck at it. Which won't be too difficult.

If you want follow my progress, feel free to add me as a writing buddy here.

NaNo Sized Problems

For the past few years, I've continued to try and participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Though I have yet to actually reach the goal of 50,000 words, last year I reached 20,000 and I'm still pretty proud of it.

But every year, that I don't finish I get a little discouraged. Deep down I know that, writing a book in 30 days, is a very impressive feat. And not being able to do it, doesn't mean I'm any less of a writer, it just means that I can't write that fast and make it at least a little bit quality.

Recently Trevor (an aspiring novelist that you should go follow) wrote about how writers depression is worse than writers block. I couldn't agree more. All writers experience writers block, it may not be a one that last for months or even weeks, it may only last a few hours, but every writer has had some form of writers block at some point. Writer's Depression, however, is worse, its when you're stuck in a rut, that seems like there will never be a way out.

I've been stuck at that point for about a year. I've been pretty good at keeping up with my TV blog, posting at least weekly, but when it comes to actually writing the stuff that I like to read, my ideas seem to have jumped on board the Destiny and are now traveling the universe with Eli Wallace. And unfortunately, I don't have any communication stones to talk to it and convince them to come back to me. (Sorry if this reference goes over your heads, I've been in a Stargate mood lately...)

All that being said, I'm going to challenge myself, but tweak the rules a little bit.

This year, my goal is half the amount of NaNo. My goal is going to be to write 25,000 word story in 30 days. It's about 850 words a day. Which seems a bit more achievable than the 1,700 words a day required for a 50,000 word story in 30 days. Especially since I'm bound to miss at least one day.

The one part that I'm really going to challenge myself with, is that I'm determined to write from a girls perspective. I know what you're thinking, "Anna, you ARE a girl, that should be easy!". WRONG! Writing from a female perspective is very difficult for me. In one of my first blog posts I kind of go into the reasons why, but what it comes down to, writing from the male perspective, just comes more naturally.

Another thing I need to do, is read more. Working 10 hours a day and then coming home only to eat then go to bed was exhausting. Now that I work 8 hours a day, things will (hopefully) be a bit more manageable. Add all that to the fact that I now have a half hour commute via train that I can read on, this will mean great books for me to be inspired by. First up: The rest of John Green's books followed by a marathon read of Meg Cabot books. w00tw00t!

Another thing that I think would help tremendously, is watching the Vlogbrothers videos where John talks about his writing and how he accomplished what he has.
Like this one:




I realize that NaNoWriMo is a little ways away, but, I'm preparing myself now in hopes that I won't be stunted in the ideas department.

Who else is participating in NaNoWriMo?

This World Will Turn Your Way

In October of 2004, my mom and I were deeply concerned for the well being of all the characters on the show One Tree Hill. We were rooting Lucas and Peyton (or Brooke, I can't remember), we wanted to punch the daylights out of Dan, and just loved Keith.

But something I hadn't expected, was to find an artist that I fell in love with so fast. Chris Keller was definitely a character you loved to hate. He was kind of a jerk and really, REALLY cocky, but there was something about his music, that made me fall head over heels.




After I heard him sing (seriously, after I heard him sing his FIRST SONG on the show) I knew I had to have his CD. I begged and begged my mom for his CD, but it was still kind of non-existent at the time, so I took what I could get. Seeing this amazing musician on my TV screen every week (almost).

That Christmas, after scouring the internet, my mom finally found his CD. "Tracks Of:" quickly became one of my most listened to CDs of all times. I'd dare to say, even more than Britney Spears. I truly think Tyler's music is where my love of acoustic songs comes from. I had discovered Jason Mraz around the same time, so it was like the universe punched me in the face and said "Hey, Anna. You should like acoustic music." Who was I to argue with the universe?

Since then, Tyler Hilton's music has been one of the staples in my music collection. He's one of the musicians that when someone says they haven't heard of him I immediately pull out my Zune and make them listen to my favorite songs (which varies from "Pink and Black" to "The Letter Song" to "Sunset Blvd"). His songs remain a constant inspiration when it comes to my writing.

It wasn't until last year that I finally got to see a concert of his. Coming to Salt Lake has always proved to be a little bit of a challenge when it comes to Tyler Hilton. Not that he doesn't want to, I'm sure he does (I mean, who WOULDN'T want to come to Utah, right?). Things just kept preventing him from coming. From freak snowstorms at the end of April (though in Utah's defense, the snowstorm wasn't here), to postponed shows that never got rescheduled. Finally, in October of last year, Tyler Hilton, Josiah Lemming, and Dion Roy all came and performed at Mo's Grill. This will probably remain one of the best concert experiences I've ever had.

The show was amazing, sitting in the front table (my friend Helen and I were seriously only 10 feet away from him) made the show that much more exciting. At one point he even stood in front of us and 'serenaded' us. Yeah, I may have did a fangirl flail at that time in my head.

This past weekend, Helen and I were able to see Tyler again when he played for the Davis County Fair. This time it was a slightly different experience. Not only were we not SUPER close, but he made a point to sing a lot of songs from his new album. I can't even explain how much I want this CD. Like NOW. His new song "Prince of Nothing Charming" may end up being my new favorite song of his.

Five Things I'm In Love With Right Now

1: Braided Bangs
It's been far too long since I've had a hair cut (and by friday this'll change). For those who also share my love of having bangs, you all know that when you go get a hair cut you have about 3 weeks of "Eh, they're okay" bangs, then about two weeks of "OMG! PERFECT LENGTH!" bangs, From there until you get your hair cut again and repeat the process, its "Ugh! My Bangs are so long!" bangs. Braiding them is something I had tried to do a couple of times and failed. My fingers just didn't want to work that way. I finally think I've mastered it. It's cute, and keeps my bangs out of my face. Though I do feel a bit like I'm channeling Quinn Fabray (from Glee) when I braid them.




2: Water Bobble
I first heard about this thing when Kristen Bell tweeted about it. Immediately I knew I wanted one. A Water Bobble is a water bottle that has a filter built into the top. So you can fill it with tap water, and still have it filtered. It super convenient and sleek. I've had at least one person a day for the past few weeks ask me about it. Waterbobble.com




3: Chameleon Circuit: Still Got Legs
Do you like Doctor Who? You should listen to these guys. Chameleon Circuit is, what is now being called, a Trock band. Time-Lord Rock (though personally, I prefer TARDIS rock). A band that writes and sings songs about Doctor Who. This is their second album and I can not stop listening to it. I'm addicted to the songs "Teenage Rebel" and "Big Bang Two". Also, "Still Not Ginger" is a good one.




4: Suits
You didn't think I'd go through this whole post without mentioning a tv show I'm watching did you? I literally just discovered this show on Monday. I had heard a little bit about it here and there, but I watched it for the first time on Monday. This show is full of wonderful eye candy, and really snarky characters. Its really nice to see Zoë Washburne Gina Torres on my TV again. The show it's self is about a brilliant college-dropout, Mike, who teams up with one of the best attorneys that New York has, as a rather unorthodox duo. Suits is on USA Network.




5: Michael Stars Glasses
A little over a month ago, I ordered a new pair of glasses from Coastal Contacts.Com. When they finally arrived, I was in love with them. I had never had a pair of plastic framed glasses before, so getting used to them has been a challenge, but I really love the shape and color, so that's all that matters.

Apologies and Authors.

Lets start this post with an apology.

I've been a terrible blogger over here. I could blame Harry Potter and going through Post Potter Depression, but that'd be a lie. I could blame Comic-Con and all the AMAZING panels that I watched over the weekend instead of reading, but again, that'd be a lie. Okay, maybe they're not LIES, but they are excuses. So I'm sorry that I've been so terrible over here.

On the bright side, I revamped my TV Blog called The Weekly Enthusiast and I've been able to keep up with it pretty well if I do say so myself.

Anywho, today I come to this blog to tell you about the new authors I've discovered in the past few months. I give a lot of credit to my book pimp Helen for introducing me to these books and authors. She and I have pretty similar tastes in books, like almost identical. So here are five authors that I've discovered this year and now love.

Kiersten White:
Author of Paranormalcy and Supernaturally(that came out on tuesday... you should go buy it). Helen and I discovered her at the same time when we went to our local independent book store. I had seen Stephanie Perkins (another one of our favorite authors), tweet to her and she mentioned that Kiersten was one of her crit partners. Based purely on that, I bought Paranormalcy. Granted I normally love paranormal books, and this one shot it's way all the way up next to The Mediator series on my list.


Caprice Crane:
Helen had been telling me that I need to read these books for a long time, as someone who doesn't exactly like change I protested at first. I enjoyed staying in my wonderful YA bubble. One day at the library, on a whim, I picked up 'Forget About It'. This book, is fantastic. I'd be reading it at work and actually burst out laughing, only solidifying the fact that I was weird to my other co-workers, but I didn't care. Even as I type this, I have her new book "With a Little Luck" waiting for me at the library. YAY!!!!


John Green:
I know, I know. I'm late to the party. Better late than never, right?
Discovering him through the Vlogbrothers channel was definitely one of the more interesting ways of discovering an author. The thing I love the most about John's books, is how real they are. When I would read them, I would think "Yeah, that's probably how I would respond". Not only are they real in the conversational sense, but when it comes to real life occurrences, they are pretty spot on. Chances are that that girl that you have been in love with since you were little, is going to slowly slip from your mind when she leaves. It may take a while, it may hurt like hell, but eventually it'll take a minute to remember her and think "Where's Margo?"

On top of all that, John is signing ALL first editions of his new book "The Fault in Our Stars". This man is just so good to his readers.

Natalie Whipple:
Okay, technically she's not published... YET! She just announced that her new book Transparent has been sold. I found this blogger through both Kiersten White and Stephanie Perkins (if there were ever a gang of women that reminded me of my own soul sisters, it would be these ones). Natalie, a fellow Utah blogger and author, is not only hysterical and adorable, but offers some really great advice to those of us just getting into the writing biz. Anytime that I'm curious about something in the writing business, I go to her blog. Her posts are helpful, funny and sometimes contain awesome drawings.

Lastly (but most certainly not least of all), Stephanie Perkins:
Technically I discovered her last year, but I didn't read her book until the very beginning of this year, so I'm counting it! Stephanie has not only led me to a bunch of other amazing authors, but when I read her debut novel Anna and the French Kiss, it was one of those books that made me want to write. Almost to the point that I stopped reading (but I couldn't do that, Étienne is too pretty). When an author adds to that fire that already burning for you to write, they tend to hold a special place in your heart, Stephanie, is one of those people now. Right up there with Meg Cabot.

I'm going to try and be better with this blog... Anyone wanna offer some advice to help, or maybe some ideas?
Or...

I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested...

I've never been a critique partner before.

It's a little nerve-racking to be honest.

My amazing friend Helen , sent me her story to critique. Now, I know that I need to give more critique than "Aw, Helen, that was a GREAT book!!!" because every author knows that it can only improve. As nervous as I am to be a critique partner, I'm also kind of excited. It'll be nice to feel like my opinions about a book might actually make it better.

Thankfully, I follow amazing authors who give advice on how to be a good beta. *hugs amazing authors* ilu. &hearts

As nervous as I am to try and critique my friends' novel, I'm more nervous about having them critique mine. I've never really let anyone read my stuff. Not only that, but I have yet to get past 30,000 words in one singular novel. Recently a new idea popped into my head and it's definitely in uncharted territory.

Most everything I've written is with a male main character. Which may seem odd to some people, but for me, it's kind of awesome. You see, when I was just getting into writing I would do online written role play. In these role plays there were always an abundance of female characters. So to ensure that I would have someone to talk to, I ended up making a male character. It always worked. I became so accustomed to playing male characters that its always been hard for me to detach myself from them.

Not only did written role playing introduce me to a different perspective of writing, it also made me more adept at writing in third person than in first. I've tried writing through a female perspective and it never seems to work out as well as the male. I've tried writing from first person, and I just end up thinking it's wonky.

Now comes my conundrum. You see, there are these characters that have popped into my head, they're chatty, and dorky, and everything I love in characters. But they seem to only want to talk to me when I write their story from first person. However, these characters have grapsed my interest enough that I keep trying. I end up writing in third person, then they stop talking to me (which may be a good thing when I'm at work), and don't start talking to me again until I change it to first person.

My characters are rude to me, but I love them.

(btw, I'm not crazy. Having characters talk to you is completely normal behavior.... for writers.)
Any ideas on how to cope with being outside your comfort zone? Or should I just dive head first into it?

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's.... WRITERS BLOCK!

a villain that attacks poor unsuspecting citizens at the most inconvenient moments.

Every time I feel like I have writers block I think of John Green.

Q. How do you deal with writers’ block?
A. I just give myself permission to suck. I delete about 90% of my first drafts (the only exception to this rule so far has been Will Grayson, Will Grayson) so it doesn’t really matter much if on a particular day I write beautiful and brilliant prose that will stick in the minds of my readers forever, because there’s a 90% chance I’m just gonna delete whatever I write anyway. I find this hugely liberating.

I also like to remind myself of something my dad said to me once in re. writers’ block: “Coal miners don’t get coal miners’ block.”

For the past little while, I've been having serious writers block. Not the kind where I can't come up with any ideas at all. It's the kind where I can't come up with any NEW ideas.

I have a small obsession with super heroes, and for some reason, I can't seem to come up with any other ideas than ones about superheroes. I have about four drafts of basically the same story from different perspectives, and can't seem to get out of this rut.

So I decided that I was going to force myself to write more in at least ONE of my superhero stories. Hoping that if I get further in them, then maybe that'll free up some of the space in my brain to come up with a new ideas.

In Photoshop weekend news, I made this reflective floral design by following this tutorial. It took me (roughly) six hours to make from scratch and I'm pretty proud of it.

Also, as you have probably noticed. I also redesigned my blog background. It certainly describes the fact that my head is in the clouds most of the time. The redesigning took me FOREVER to figure out. But I did it and I'm really proud of my self for it. (: