Tag Archive for 'adventure'

why am i writing this??

Published on May 12, 2011 in Writing Tags: , , , , , . ______________________________________
conversation with self:

exhausted?

CHECK

Brain stuffed with good books?

CHECK

Brain also stuffed with bad books, but knowing full well what they did and how to avoid it. Or maybe, also, um…good books with just a few awkward moments that can probably be avoided now that you know why they were awkward?

CHECK YEAH

Committed to two week book-fast, wherein ABSOLUTELY NO FICTION READING IS ALLOWED because you’ll be busy writing something worth reading?!!

*sigh*

check.

OKAY, now go write write write, little bird. And fly fly fly. Share your dreams with the world. Be bold. Be brave.

Or don’t. I don’t care as long as you WRITE.

-M♥lly

2 Comments

Published on April 15, 2011 in reading is delicious and Writing Tags: , , , . ______________________________________

I’m trying to refrain from blogging, but I just felt like saying three things:

1. I LOVE the library.

2. I LOVE my new home even though it’s constantly a disaster area from all the remodeling and stuff, but I have a back deck and I planted pots of flowers on it and it is the best place to read and write ever!

3. There may be a skydiving trip in the works this summer. One of my goals is going to get ticked off the list.

Hope everyone is doing awesome.

-M♥lly

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Books I’m excited about

Published on September 2, 2010 in reading is delicious Tags: , , , , . ______________________________________

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed that there are aLOT of great books that either just came out or are just about to come out.

MOCKINJAY by (do I really have to say it…you already know) Suzanne Collins

Can I be honest here? I’ve had this book for like a week and I totally haven’t touched it. I did the same thing with the last Harry Potter book. I don’t want it to end. :(

MATCHED by Ally Condie

For some reason this book has me so interested — a society where your choices are predicted and controlled and there’s a love triangle somehow?? It doesn’t come out until November, but I really want to see how the plot turns out. Such an intriguing concept.

PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White

LOOOOOVE the concept of this book. Working for the International Paranormal Containment Agengcy???  I’m in. And I’m ordering it from Amazon on payday–which is tomorrow! Can’t wait.

And since my dear kARi always does that fun “What’s in my mailbox” post, I figured I’d share my most recent deliveries:

INCARERON by Catherine Fisher

Okay, so I’m halfway through this book and I’m really liking the plot. It’s like you know what’s coming, but that’s much too simple–so what’s around the next corner?? Plus the imagery and setting is soooooo cooooool. Dystopian Victorian???

THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE by Joan Aiken

I haven’t read this one yet, but the Joan Aiken books I have read have stuck with me for their clarity and plot and interesting characters. This book is older, but I had to get it! Cruel governesses and wolves–need I say more??

THE DEATH (AND FURTHER ADVENTURES) OF SILAS WINTERBOTTOM: THE BODY THIEF by Stephen M. Giles

Oh, don’t try to act like that title didn’t intrigue you. Be honest. I can’t wait to start this book and it looks like a short fun read.

And I’m currently listening to:

FAIREST by Gail Carson Levine

Wow–this story is magnetic. I’m about 5/8ths through and I’m so wrapped up in the plot! Love the characters and the setting–kingdoms and magic mirrors and an ugly protagonist that you root for!!

I haven’t heard many full-cast audio books (every character has an actor doing their voice vs just one actor doing all the voices) so it takes some getting used to. That and there’s singing. Lots of singing. I’m starting to love it.


Oh yes, reviews are coming!!

-M♥lly

7 Comments

Big Trouble in Little China

Published on August 4, 2010 in Uncategorized and Writing Tags: , , . ______________________________________
source: www.dangerousuniverse.com

Have you seen that movie?

It’s like my old pal, Jack Burton used to say…

Yes, sir, the check is in the mail…

Son of a b*tch must pay…

When I was younger, I loved that movie. It had this crazy antihero, girls with green eyes, a subterranean mansion/world, magic, and monsters. What’s not to like…?

Well, after Kissyface and I spent weeks convincing my family that it was the best movie ever, we decided to bring it over for some fun family entertainment.

I was embarassed.

I mean, it’s still cool. Kinda.

I didn’t like the characters so much. The special effects were cheesy. I didn’t understand half the motivations in the plot.

This brought me to three conclusions:

  1. I must strive to flesh out my story so it never feels like a hollow, good idea that never got fully developed.
  2. I must keep my story innovative and fresh, so people don’t read it twenty years from now and think, that’s so cheesy.
  3. Sometimes you just have to love bad movies even though you secretly know they’re really bad.

Your thoughts?

-M♥lly

4 Comments

Please tell me you do this…

Published on July 16, 2010 in Writing Tags: , , . ______________________________________

So I went on an adventure last night:

A six mile bike ride through the wilderness of suburbia. All by myself.

Maybe I got lost. Maybe I have a good sense of direction, but maybe that doesn’t help anything if the streets curve back on themselves like an evil labyrinth.

Maybe I started singing to myself unconsciously, because I like to sing, and then I realized that people were outside in their yards and on their porches and they could hear me. Maybe that was a bit embarrassing.

Regardless, it was fun.

But I noticed that when I’m not writing or reading or singing, particularly when my brain is in the zone (like during activities such as BIKING), I catch myself narrating stories in my head.

Usually my own story. I think, If a fictional tale loosely based off of my life were written starting from this moment, how would I word the beginning? And then I start narrating it in my head.

Other times, I see people and make up their story, or a random character pops in my head and I make up a story for them.

Do you catch yourself doing this as well? It was pretty fun narrating to my own brain on the bike ride last night, but it also made me wonder if I’m just a liiitttle crazy.

nah.

Have a beautiful weekend!!

-M♥lly

8 Comments

Beautiful Creatures

Published on July 8, 2010 in reading is delicious Tags: , , , , . ______________________________________

Why am I rocking the super-dark nail polish, you ask?

Easy. It’s a tribute to this book I read and liked. You may have heard of it:

*First off, this is not the book I was raving about Wednesday. I’m still not finished with that one. However, this is the book I read before I started reading Wednesday’s book. And I enjoyed it quite a lot. So much so that I painted my nails, as stated above.

The Bulgarian cover, which definitely captures some of that juicy atmosphere. I LOVE it.

This book is fresh–

I loved the narrator–a boy. He has this quiet strength and passion that seriously makes my heart flutter.

I REALLY liked a paranormal romance coming from the guy’s perspective. AND! Bonus! It really sounds like a guy, not a girl’s version of a guy. A real guy. Granted, a rare guy, but a real one.

This book has enough atmosphere to fill the hole in the ozone layer and then some–

Seriously. I think I am more in love with the atmosphere (steamy Carolinian humidity, mysterious and gorgeous plantation mansions, unique and crazy relatives, magic, mythology, underground libraries, etc.) than I am with Ethan (the guy narrator).

I have to admit that I wasn’t as impressed with the girl as I would have wished, but I’m holding out hope for her and I will definitely be checking out the next book: BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS. That was really the only thing that bothered me.
I loved the tension, I loved the hero, I loved the mystery.

A necklace from the story. One that reminds me a LOT of one I had in middle school. Maybe it’s time to revive it bc it’s just soooo cool.

Thanks to everyone who recommended this cool book. And double thanks to Tessa Gratton, who created a fantabulous contest that included BEAUTIFUL CREATURES as one of the prizes. (Which I won. Yay!)

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***I HOPE to review another inspiring book on Monday. See ya soon!

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-M♥lly

7 Comments

caught me

Published on July 7, 2010 in reading is delicious Tags: , , . ______________________________________

LUNCH, ANYONE??? Take me here. Please. Photo by Thor Dekov Buur

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FINALLY,

one of those books I can’t put down!!

So I’m reading this book. It’s an original spin on something old, possibly something overdone. But it’s so fresh. The characters are so untypical. The prose is so entrancing at times. I seriously already teared up, just because I like it so much. Not cause it’s sad.

Right now I’m in love. I’m counting down the hours until my lunch break. Until I get to dive in and savor some more.

I’ve been here before. I’ve been let down because a book doesn’t follow through with the characters or the the theme or the mood. But I have faith in this book. If it is still just as tasty by the end, I will let you know on Friday.

Thanks for all of your recommendations. I’ve gotten some really fun, interesting, amazing books by taking your advice.

I can’t wait to read them all!!!

Seriously, if I could get paid to sit/lay/walk around and read–well, I’d probably be dreaming.

What about you–any amazing reads lately?

-M♥lly

10 Comments

reviseitis

Published on July 5, 2010 in Writing Tags: , , , , . ______________________________________

hmmm…
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*yawns* *stretches*
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*hums “O What a Beautiful Morning…”*

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Oops

Image by Maurizio Polese. Somewhere I would like to go to recuperate.

It’s Monday, isn’t it?

Huh.

Well, it doesn’t feel like one. Maybe that’s why I forgot to blog.

But I remembered!!! yay!

So, briefly, here’s my revision recuperation:


let me know if you’ve come up with anything better–

  • read Hex Hall
  • eat food at Grandparents’ (A LOT OF FOOD)
  • go tubing on the lake– I AM THE BEST AT TUBING. NO ONE CAN FLIP ME OFF THAT THING!!! YOU SHOULD GO WITH  ME NEXT TIME!!!
  • go canoeing– let’s just say I sat in the front and enjoyed the scenery while Kissyface steered from the back and it was WONDERFUL.
  • read Beautiful Creatures
  • work on crit buddy’s critique
  • sit on the porch and maybe read Shiver (if there’s time)

and I allllllmost feel ready to start re-revising. Which I will tomorrow.

I highly recommend the above activities or similar ones to anyone recuperating from reviseitis (inflammation of the revision).

If you have successfully found a cure/balm/respite from reviseitis, please do share.

-M♥lly

8 Comments

almost there

Published on June 28, 2010 in Writing Tags: , , , , . ______________________________________

source: http://flickr.com/photos/gego/130880892/

So my fortune cookie this weekend said:

Do not strive for happiness, create happiness.

Which I thought didn’t quite make sense, but maybe kinda did…? Also, I paraphrase (but I’m pretty sure that’s word for word) bc the fortune unfortunatley (snicker) fell prey to the jowls of my washing machine.

And what I meant to write about:

Kari was genius enough to come up with this idea of weekly writing goals where you comment on her blog what your goal is and then you try to hit it by the end of the day on Wednesday.

So, I didn’t meet my goal last week. BUT I GOT CLOSE!!

AND i GOT A LOT DONE!!

And even though I’ve already dropped off the face of the earth to work on these revisions, this new challenge made me kick up the pace. I really think I can finish this round of revisions by the end of June. (Which was my goal in the first place, but I didn’t really think I could hit it!) Yay!

My story is getting better, I can feel it. STILL NEEDS A LOT OF STINKING WORK, but I have a little more faith in it.

And I have this new story buzzing about my brain that I’m really really really excited for.

Sometimes my dream of being a published author seems so attainable–I read these books that get movie deals and notoriety and think I can soooo do that.

But then I get my critiques back on some pages I thought were really good and I see all these holes!! Why have I not figured this out yet????!!??i

WHICH LEADS ME TO TWO CONCLUSIONS:

  1. Critique buddies are invaluable
  2. Being a good writer is a lot harder than it looks

Also, totally randomly, I watched It’s Complicated this weekend. Let me tell you how that went:

Funny. Funny. Kinda messed up, but okay, funny. Funny. Hmmmm. I hope this ends funny. I’m confused and unconvinced. Sad. Wait, maybe it will end funny and happy. NO. sad. sad. hmmm.

So if you liked the movie, uh, well, that’s cool. My kissyface and I were both bummed out by it WHICH IS NOT THE POINT OF REDBOXING A COMEDY!

Lastly, I’m reading some books this weekend and hopefully a couple will be review-worthy. So watch out!

15 Comments

another snippet

Published on June 25, 2010 in Writing Tags: , , , , . ______________________________________

Yay! I made it to Friday!! Congrats to all of you who did as well!!

Okay, anyways,
the other day I was riding in the car
(Kissyface was driving me to Chipotle)
and I look over and this guy is waiting at the same light we are.
He’s a couple years younger than me, but he’s pretty handsome.
And he has this great smile.
And he’s dancing.
Yes. He was dancing in his car. At a stoplight.
So then he looks over at me, keeps dancing, raises his eyebrows and widens his grin, like, “care to join me??”

And I can’t help it, I’m cracking up.

And he just smiles bigger when he sees me laughing.
Still dancing.
So Kris is trying to figure out the reason for my random outburst of giggles (not exactly an unusual event) and he’s like, “What??”
And I’m laughing so hard, but I say, “That guy’s dancing! He’s dancing.”

But by this time, the light has changed and we’re driving again and
I’ve lost sight of my dancing buddy.

But then, right before we turn into Chipotle I see him.
Still dancing.
And he smiles at me again, like, “I’m cool, and I’m perfectly confident enough to dance in my car and not care who sees me.”

And yeah, maybe it was kinda weird. But it was more…I don’t know. Fun. Free. Random.

So I think I want to be like that.

And I’m pretty sure that guy needs to wind up in one of my stories.

Have a beautiful weekend. I dare you to dance in your car at a stoplight.

Love,

M♥lly

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17 Comments