tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44417313314618489232024-03-13T13:26:49.056-07:00Of Writing and Other Wonderful Things...Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-60922355235029521382009-11-17T17:28:00.000-08:002009-11-17T17:32:01.881-08:00New HomeSo, I was playing around with pictures and layouts and...I made a new blog.<br /><br />I might still post over here, but I think I might post more often here: <a href="http://raven-ashley.blogspot.com/">http://raven-ashley.blogspot.com/</a>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-54969493214336602852009-11-16T16:06:00.000-08:002009-11-16T16:22:25.075-08:00New Moon, Writing, and high school....So, in case you haven't noticed New Moon is coming out in FOUR DAYS!!! Yeah, I know, you're excited, but not as excited as me. ^_^<br /><br />Seriously, I've been waiting for this movie for a long long long time. I can't go to the midnight showing because a.) I don't have a ride to get back home and b.) my mom won't let me.<br /><br />Sometimes I want to know what it feels like to be a teenager, you know the kind who are high off of angst and rebellion.<br /><br />But alas, I'm a goody-two-shoes and I'm going to brave my anticipation until I can go on Saturday. In the morning.<br /><br />Who goes to the movies in the morning? That's like weird...and unheard of but my friends are being nice and are going to wake up and go to the movies with me in the morning/afternoon. Unless, you know, they change their mind and I have to go with my sister/best friend two weeks from now and...yeah, I can't wait that long.<br /><br />In other news, my friend who I don't think is my friend anymore, just exploded today. Apparently she was still holding a grudge over the weekend and when I saw her at lunch today she just kept doing these really childish things.<br /><br />I mean, she's a junior. I know I'm only fifteen and that I do little kid stuff sometimes, but there's a time and a place for everything.<br /><br />She was screaming and losing her mind, but because I don't usually get all bent out of shape over childish, silly things, I remained calm and now everyone sees that she was overreacting.<br /><br />Seriously, the girl was giving me a headache! She was calling me a wimp and a whole lot of names that I won't mention here, and I was just ignoring her.<br /><br />But she just kept talking and it took someone to drag her away for her to shut up and the more I think about it...ugh!<br /><br />High School is hell on steroids.<br /><br />In other news, I am slowly progressing on my nano novel. I was so drained when I got home, but I managed to churn out 800 words and if I wasn't so tired maybe I would have more but every word is progress.<br /><br />I'm really loving the characters and it's strange how they just start taking on a life of their own.<br /><br />I love them to pieces though and I'm glad I didn't give up this idea.<br /><br />I hope everyone had a great Monday!Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-7697001935167454692009-11-15T09:14:00.000-08:002009-11-15T09:29:45.026-08:00Um, yeah...So I'm not a Lady GaGa fan but <span style="font-style: italic;">Bad Romance</span> is awesome in a kind of weird way. I just got done watching the video and when it was finally over this is what my face looked like: O_O<br /><br />My eyes were probably bigger but you get the point.<br /><br />Seriously, though, that song fits my Super SEKRIT project that I may or may not write after I finish editing my nano novel. It's called <span style="font-style: italic;">Volatile Secrets </span>and it's dark, very very dark. That's all I'm saying for now.<br /><br />Speaking of my nano novel, <span style="font-style: italic;">Mirror Mirror </span>is coming along well. I'm trying to reach 25K before I have to leave home and go to my grandma's house. But I don't know if I'm going to get there because I keep procrastinating.<br /><br />I made a page for my novel on my <a href="http://fortheloveofmywords.weebly.com/my-writing1.html">website</a>.<br /><br />And I finished <span style="font-style: italic;">Lock and Key</span> by Sarah Dessen yesterday. Great book. I'll try to get a review up soon.<br /><br />So, how's everyone surviving NaNoWriMo? I hope everyone's word counts are increasing and I really need to get back to writing so....<br /><br />Ciao!Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-63816475701699142242009-11-14T05:40:00.000-08:002009-11-14T06:13:30.651-08:00Genre, genre, genre...Everyone has their own genre. Everyone has read books that pertain to the genre that they write. If you write YA fantasy, you might be interested in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter</span> series or maybe <span style="font-style: italic;">The Chronicles of Narnia</span>. If you write YA contemporary, then maybe you like to read stories by John Green, Sarah Dessen and Courtney Summers.<br /><br />Reading is the only way we can get better at writing. But before we write, we must know what we want to write. Some people know from the moment they read a novel that they want to write that exact same genre or maybe people are just born to write fantasy or contemporary or any other type of genre out there.<br /><br />It's just like I know I was born to write YA. Not because I am a young adult but because I love how it doesn't hold back anything. It's true to the life I'm living now and there are some great stories out there, that are funny and sexy and just extremely awesome. And they're all YA books.<br /><br />I've ventured outside of the YA genre. Adults say that teens my age and older have a short attention span and that's not necessarily true. I read <span style="font-style: italic;">Jane Eyre</span> in two nights when I was eleven. It was the first book that was not considered MG or YA that I had read. And at the time my mom didn't allow me to go into the YA section , but that's a whole different story.<br /><br />But I read everything from Jane Austen to Richelle Mead. I love vampires, dashing gentlemen, and angsty MC's. Basically any genre that has romance in it, I love.<br /><br />That is why for years I couldn't pinpoint <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span> genre. I mean, everyone has a genre. But me, I'm the oddball. I kept trying everything, hoping something would stick and well, nothing did. When I was younger I wrote MG because I was a nine year old and blushed when I heard the words "kiss" and "love".<br /><br />As I got older, my stories became serious in topic. I love religion and I found myself writing stories about atheist soldiers seeking redemption, Jewish boys living in a world where people don't understand their religion or their morals, girls who didn't believe in God because he didn't save her sister, and finally, boys who believe music is a religion *coughs* Alden *coughs*<br /><br />I would spend nights researching the religions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Working anything I could into stories, so that they could be accurate and yet still enjoyable.<br /><br />Then I graduated to historical romances. I had just finished reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Pride and Prejudice</span> when I was thirteen and I decided, well, why can't I write a historical romance? I wrote stories about courtesans looking for love, and a plain-Jane type of girl with a suitor who didn't love her. My first NaNoWriMo novel was entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">The Jane Effect</span> and that was a historical romance.<br /><br />After a while though, I realized that that wasn't sticking. So I hopped from one genre to the next, and none of them stuck to me.<br /><br />Then I entered the world of YA contemporary.<br /><br />Alden's story was one I had been thinking about writing for years and I just didn't have to guts to write it because it was dark and raw and everything I was not. But once I churned out that first line: "<span style="font-style: italic;">My father has a gun</span>", there was no turning back.<br /><br />I found out that I loved writing contemporary because you can be as creative with the writing as you want, and you can be funny and honest and you get across messages people will be afraid to get across.<br /><br />And that's when it hit me.<br /><br />Getting across messages some people will be afraid to get across.<br /><br />I wanted to do that. In today's worlds, adults fear letting their children see certain things. Like my mother, she didn't want me reading about drugs and sex and violence. I wasn't even allowed to watch a movie until she looked it over. I don't blame her for that, but if you don't let your kid see or read something because you think it's inappropriate, it doesn't mean that they're not going to see it somewhere else.<br /><br />So why not have them read about it in books, so that they are aware of what is out there? Not so that they can become curious and want to try whatever it is in the book whether it be unprotected sex or cocaine, but so that they are educated, so that they are aware of things out there.<br /><br />And no YA book sends out a bad message. Even if a book is about drugs and kids that run away, they still have a positive message in the end, most of the time.<br /><br />That is why I want to YA contemporary. Edgy-YA Contemporary to be exact. Because you know, I can't do comedy and mushy stuff. I like romantic comedies and all but I think it's better on the dark side.<br /><br />They have cookies. ^_^Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-9594631463865700482009-11-10T13:26:00.000-08:002009-11-10T13:30:52.138-08:00Teaser TuesdayThis is yet another teaser from my NaNo novel <span style="font-style: italic;">Mirror, Mirror</span>.<br /><br /><blockquote>I looked at Low. I really looked at him. He had no rough edges, no imperfections. There weren't any frown lines on his face, or creases in his forehead. It was as if he had no worry in the world.<br /><br />He squinted his eyes, as the sunlight fell over him. "That house just feels too much like a prison."<br /><br />My heart stopped, but I didn't think about what Low just said, I just nodded. "I know, I know."<br /><br />"That song I was singing, it's how I feel. I know we're apart of a family who loves us, who needs us but I just feel so..."<br /><br />"Alone."<br /><br />He smiled, softly. "Yeah."<br /><br />"Someone once told me that I looked lost. I looked like I hadn't found myself yet. Maybe we're alone because we don't know who we are."<br /><br />"Yet. We don't know who we are yet." Low paused, his eyes widening, his voice wistful. "Run away with me."<br /><br />I blinked a couple of times, before my eyelids froze. I knew what he just said but I couldn't understand what he was saying. Run away with him? He wanted to leave. He wanted <span style="font-style: italic;">me</span> to leave with<span style="font-style: italic;"> him</span>. It made no sense.<br /><br />I shook my head.<br /><br />"Kendall, I know it sounds crazy, but we can't stay here any longer." Low looked to the sky. "Every night I go to sleep and dream about a better life. A life with just you and me and..." He braced my shoulders and looked deep into my eyes, until he could see my soul. I didn't want this. I would never want this. He could see that. He frowned.<br /><br />"Why?" I asked, my emotions erupting.<br /><br />"Because...because I love you."<br /><br />I shook away from him. "No you don't."<br /><br />"Yes," he grabbed my arm, "Yes, I do. Kendall Elizabeth Ryan I love you."<br /><br />I wanted to throw up. I wanted to wash my skin until his touch was gone from my skin.<br /><br />"No you..." Something moved in my peripheral vision. It was blue blur. My heart turned to stone, and my eyes glazed over. Standing just ten feet away from us was a police officer.<br /><br />He looked like the same one who took down Jax. I gulped. We couldn't get caught. We were supposed to be ghost, we didn't exist. If we got caught, our life as we knew it would be over.<br /><br />"Low." I whispered, tears streaming down my face.<br /><br />"Yes." His voice trembled. I've never heard him like this before. He was always so strong.<br /><br />"If you trust me," I started. "If you love me, you'll run."<br /><br />"What are you..."<br /><br />"Run." I repeated, firmly.<br /><br />He loved me. He ran.</blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-38353870425683135982009-11-08T09:35:00.000-08:002009-11-08T09:58:56.216-08:00Character Profile: Kendall Ryan<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i158/nacaddin/michelle-trachtenberg1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 301px;" src="http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i158/nacaddin/michelle-trachtenberg1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Actress: </span>Michelle Trachtenberg<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Though Pris was the one who plaited my hair and sewed up my clothes when I was little, I hated her because she was pretty and smart and everything I was not. Kip liked girls like that. And I wasn't like that, so he wouldn't like me."<br /></span>~ Kendall Ryan<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Full Name: </span>Kendall Elizabeth Ryan<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Age:</span> 17<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Appearance:</span> She usually has bags under her eyes because she doesn't get enough sleep. Her hair is brown but in the sun it looks like it has red highlights. She has a very pale complexion because she is in the house most of the time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Personality: </span>She is very whiny sometimes, and she values her faith in God. If you make her mad, she won't hold a grudge and when she loves, she'll love with all her heart. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hobbies: </span>She likes to write poetry and listen to music, anything to take her mind off of things.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">History: </span>She remembers her mother, but for most of her life she has been living with Kip. Later on in the story, her past is revealed, but I won't say anything more. Don't want to give anything away.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Love Interest(s): </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Kipling Fitzgerald </span>- She has fallen in love with Kip because she thinks that they are alike. Even though he is verbally and physically abusive, she loves his flaws and will do anything to make him see that he cares for her too. The fact that he taught her all he knew, the fact that he raised her and protected her excuses all of his wrongs.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lowell Fitzgerald </span>- She doesn't hate Low, but she hates the feelings that he might have for her.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ellis Parker</span> - Ken meets him later on in the story, and then she realizes that maybe she's been wrong about love all along.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Theme Song: </span><br /><br />Chasing Pavements by Adele<br /><br /><br /></div></div>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-33873135747935899052009-11-08T05:23:00.000-08:002009-11-08T05:36:06.074-08:00Surviving NaNoWriMo Tip #1It's so easy to fall out of love with your NaNoWriMo novel. At the beginning of the month, you're psyched, you're ready to embark on a thirty day journey to finishing a novel that has been cooking in your brain for quite some time now.<br /><br />You may have a massive outline or you may be just winging it. How ever you are planning to churn out 50,000 thousand word in 1 month, that is up to you, but you can't help if you fall out of love with your novel can you?<br /><br />I'll admit that I was pretty proud of my novel at the beginning of the month. It is one of the first contemporary novels that I have gotten past 10,000 words on. Also it has romance, adventure, and the characters really are growing into their shoes, so to speak.<br /><br />But then I get anxious.<br /><br />There are so many things that I had planned for this novel. The plot was supposed to go one way when it went another, and I can't go back and fix anything, because during NaNoWriMo you're supposed to keep on trucking and basically you have to stick a shoe in your inner editor's mouth.<br /><br />This is hard, especially for perfectionist such as me and millions of other writers out there. But in the words of John Green, it's okay to suck during November.<br /><br />It took me a long time to realize that, but now I see clearly. *Cue the music*<br /><br />Sometimes the raw writing can be better than revised writing. It's the words that comes straight from the heart, from your mind. They're fresh and great and wonderful and beautiful. Once they're on your paper or your Word document, they're there forever. You won't erase them, you can't. Because if you want to be on top, you have to keep moving a long.<br /><br />If you have fallen out of love with your characters or your novel, I can't really tell you how to fall in love with them again.<br /><br />But I can say that once you keep working with them, to improve your relationship, so to speak, you'll learn to like them. You'll learn to except them for all their flaws and imperfections. And then you won't be able to get them out of your mind. They'll hypnotize you, they'll take over you, until you have to love them.<br /><br />My only advice to you, I guess, is to keep writing. I know you might have heard this advice in millions of other places, but it's probably the best advice you'll ever receive.<br /><br />Keep writing.<br /><br />And it doesn't matter if you write 3 words or 200 words or 1,000 words or 4,000 words a day. Every word you write, is progress. Every word you write because you one step closer to your goal.<br /><br />Soon, December will be here and you can set that inner editor free.<br /><br />Good luck everyone!Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-31075490580642079472009-11-03T15:03:00.000-08:002009-11-03T15:22:50.388-08:00Teaser TuesdayThis is from my NaNo novel. It's one of my favorite scenes.<br /><br /><blockquote>"Did he hit you?"<br /><br />I didn't answer right away. Low probably took this as a yes.<br /><br />But no. Kip didn't hit me.<br /><br />Kip didn't have to hit me to make me cry. I just hated the way Low's lips wrapped around "he." Like Kip was vile and disgusting, when he wasn't. He was far from that. Low was his brother. He was his flesh and blood, but he didn't know him like I did.<br /><br />"I swear, if he touched you I would..." Low started.<br /><br />"No," I coughed out. "No, Kip didn't hit me."<br /><br />Low didn't believe me. And I didn't care.<br /><br />"What would you do? Fight him?" He loosened his hold on me, and I pushed him away.<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />"If that's what it takes," he said. </span><br /><br /><br /></blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-70720869114803955472009-11-01T06:09:00.000-08:002009-11-01T06:11:39.220-08:00NaNo is here...And a couple of seconds ago I hit 1k!<br /><br />To celebrate here's a snippet of my NaNo novel.<br /><br />By the way, I decided to do <span style="font-style: italic;">Mirrror, Mirror</span> because Alden from <span style="font-style: italic;">Have Mercy </span>decided to close up on me. He's been very quiet lately.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>It was all in the eyes. That's what Pris said to me all the time. You can be the worst actor in the world, but if you put your eyes into it, nothing could go wrong. The eyes were the windows to your soul, your heart.<br /><br />I stood there, my body trembling. The magazine that I was supposed to pretend to read, held no interest. I kept my eyes on Pris.<br /><br />Her hands gripped the counter, her hair falling in front of her face, looking like a veil of sunshine. The clerk's face was painted with concern. Real, genuine concern.<br /><br />"Are you okay?" he asked, moving from behind the counter. His thick accent was low and soft. I felt sorry for him. He seemed like a good person, and we were going to rob him.<br /><br />"I think I'm going into..." Pris breathed, "...labor."<br /><br />This was an Oscar-worthy performance. If I didn't know that Pris had a pillow stuffed under her shirt, and not a baby bulge, I would've believed her. I hoped, prayed, that the clerk would keep on believing her.</blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-48498474394095161392009-10-31T11:30:00.001-07:002009-11-02T19:12:19.313-08:00A Dark and Dangerous Magic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj96/rayzay_1994/7b6f6ef0318f2bf98ef517476e736a17_ra.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 319px;" src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj96/rayzay_1994/7b6f6ef0318f2bf98ef517476e736a17_ra.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thanks for reading guys! </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-83741774157825076092009-10-30T22:01:00.000-07:002009-10-30T22:04:18.910-07:00Because I Can't Sleep...I made a cover for <span style="font-style: italic;">Have Mercy</span>.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bighugelabs.com/userdata/9f/9f00/9f00a5/9f00a58fe04e4680997c9dc8765bf8b8/recent/magazine781be7855be0b8fd45b44f971d8e4b36cd3b160b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 403px; height: 521px;" src="http://bighugelabs.com/userdata/9f/9f00/9f00a5/9f00a58fe04e4680997c9dc8765bf8b8/recent/magazine781be7855be0b8fd45b44f971d8e4b36cd3b160b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-23146530321172282102009-10-30T13:04:00.000-07:002009-10-30T13:32:27.544-07:00In Two Days...NaNo begins!<br /><br />I did it last year, and won (by miracle) and because the prize is as same as last year's, I definitely want to try to churn out 50,000 words (0r more)<br /><br />But there's just one little problem.<br /><br />I'm not ready.<br /><br />I'm close to being ready, but let's just say I'm not <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> close.<br /><br />I literally had one hundred ideas. I went from urban fantasy to science fiction and I finally decided I was going to try writing a contemporary. I know, taking the easy way out.<br /><br />Then I narrowed it down to four ideas and then those four ideas morphed magically into two. Two very good ideas, but which one do I chose.<br /><br />Have Mercy<br /><blockquote><br />Alden Summerville loves music. It runs in his blood. His mother was a musician and when she died, music became his world. Nothing was going to change his dreams of becoming a famous rocker. Not his dad, who wants Al to get a football scholarship. Not his step-mother, Barbra, who wants him out of his house. No one will stop him from letting music be his life, because if he doesn't have music, then there isn't no point in living.<br /><br />When Mr. Snyder, his music teacher retires, Alden doesn't know what to do. He thinks that there is no one left in the world on his side, until she comes. She is beautiful, bright, and cares about music almost as much as Alden does, maybe even more. He introduces him to a different world, one he wants to live in. One he will give up everything for. </blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br />Mirror, Mirror<br /><blockquote><br />Kendall Ryan has never lived in a real home. She's never had her own bed or room, and she's never had a "first kiss" Though she's been kissed by many men, the only man who she would gladly accept a kiss from was Kipling "Kip" Fitzgerald, the man who has been taking care of her for as long as she can remember. But that will never happen because Kip already has his eyes on Pristine "Pris" Walker, the golden-haired beauty of their little "family."<br /><br />All she wants, all she'll ever need is for Kip to notice her, but he never treats her with love and affection. She's like furniture, just there to help out when needed.<br /><br />And then a girl goes missing. </blockquote><br /><br />There's more to both stories but I don't want to give too much away. I don't know which one I'll do. Hopefully I'll finish tomorrow so I can get playlist and stuff together.<br /><br />So much to do, so little time...Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-85961053923451490512009-10-27T15:34:00.000-07:002009-10-27T15:40:44.264-07:00Teaser TuesdayWow, it feels like I haven't done a Teaser Tuesday in a long long time.<br /><br />Um, okay. Today's teaser is from Shadow when I tried writing it in first person.<br /><br /><blockquote><br />The room was dark in a matter of minutes, save for the bright white light that streamed in through the window.<br /><br />"So, what are you doing after school?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper. The movie was starting now. I've seen Romeo and Juliet before, so I really didn't have any reason to pay attention. But I didn't want to sit here and talk to Sloan. It was too dangerous. The way he made me feel. The way I let myself succumb to his charms, if you could even call it that- was risky. I couldn't let myself give in.<br /><br />"Why do you care?"<br /><br />"Well," he moved his chair over until we were thigh to thigh. I didn't want to focus on how near he was, but the jolt of electricity that shot through my veins wasn't making it easy for me. My lips started to numb, and my mouth went dry.<br /><br />This wasn't good.<br /><br />"I was wondering if you wanted to, you know, catch a movie or something after-school." I jerked my head in his direction. He was asking me out on a date? I liked him. Maybe even more than I should, and I knew that he was sort of fixed on me. Even Lola, who deemed herself an expert in the art of 'chemistry', declared that Sloan was 'totally into me.' In another world we could be an item, but this was reality and I couldn't be alone with him. I couldn't risk his life. I couldn't let him be another....<br /><br />"Well?" he pushed. The eagerness in this voice was unusual for him. It was almost like he needed me to say yes, but he didn't know what kind of darkness I could bring into his life. If he knew, he would want me to say no.<br /><br />"No," I replied.<br /><br />Sighing, he sank back in his chair. I don't know why, but I turned to look at him. A strand of hair fell in front of his eyes, as he met my gaze. "I just don't get it..." He paused. There was a crease in his eyebrows. "Are you a lesbian?"<br /><br />My eyes widened, but before I could say anything, he placed his hand on my shoulder. A jolt of electricity shot through my veins. "Because if you are, I'm cool with it. There's nothing wrong with liking girls. Believe me, I understand."<br /><br />I was aware of the eyes that were on us now. Not everyone had heard what Sloan had said but we had enough attention. I shrugged away from him, dropping my voice. "You're an idiot."<br /><br />"Look, if it makes you feel better, I'll watch you make out with some chick and I won't even be disgusted or anything."<br /><br />"I'm not a lesbian, Sloan," I muttered.<br /><br />He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, "Hey, it's either that or you're stupid." His head tilted to the side. "You're like one of the smartest girls in the entire junior class, so that only leaves the first theory."<br /><br />"Theory?" I wanted to kick myself for asking. A part of me knew that whatever he was going to say would make me mad. He curled his finger around a strand of my hair, and gently placed it behind my ear. His touch made my skin crawl.<br /><br />"Usually girls fall head over heals for me, you on the other hand, don't. So, if you put two and two together..."<br /><br />"Just because I don't want to shove my tongue down your throat like some..."<br /><br />Something moved in my peripheral vision. I averted my eyes and looked out the window. The snow was falling to the ground in tired white clusters. Everything, from the trees, the cars parked in the parking lot, the rooftops of the houses across the street, were covered in it's crystalline splendor. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. My mouth went dry. Despite the fact that the heat was on in the room, a chill resonated through my body.<br /><br />Someone was watching me.</blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-64185219021852647272009-10-25T11:25:00.000-07:002009-10-25T11:40:25.664-07:00Before we are great...Not everyone starts out great. You have to fail before you are good at anything in life. I've been writing ever since I could pick up a pencil. Nowadays, I think my writing is pretty decent and I'm not ashamed to flaunt it to my teachers and stuff. But when I look back on the things I wrote long ago (three years ago) I want to take a match to it and forget that it ever existed.<br /><br />But I can't do that. Though my old stories may not be as good as the ones I write today, they are still apart of me. Those characters are still apart of me.<br /><br />A story that epitomizes this bond I feel with my old writing, is <span style="font-style: italic;">Hazel.</span> I wrote it the summer I turned eleven. The night after I finished reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Jane Eyre</span> I opened up a new document on my computer and start typing away.<br /><br /><br />Here is a snippet from the story:<br /><blockquote><br /><br />It was almost night time when Miss Hilda called for Erin. Erin had dressed in her best clothing and quietly entered her mother's room. Miss Hilda gestured for Erin to sit beside her.<br />It was quiet for a couple of minutes but then Miss Hilda began to speak.<br />" You remind me so much of your father. So you will lead a life similar to his." Hilda said coughing<br />" I pray that I will Miss Hilda." Erin replied closing her eyes<br />" Your eyes remind me every day of the loser I married." Hilda continued angrily<br />" That's why you hate me?" Erin asked trying not to cry<br />" You are cheerful even after I scold you. You are kind even when shown no kindness. I tried for years to break you like I've broken your father but it just hasn't worked yet." Hilda replied softly<br />" Trying to break me will be like asking for an early grave, Miss Hilda." Erin said coldly<br />" I know it but I will not give up." Hilda agreed, coughing<br />" My father and I are stronger than you, together." Erin said<br />" Please that man is weaker than Winston and you're nothing but an ugly child." Hilda said chuckling<br />" I don't have to sit here and listen to this." Erin said getting up<br />" But I have everything you need to know about your future right here in my mind." Hilda exclaimed smiling<br />" You lie, Miss Hilda!" Erin shouted<br />" You will be alone in life and will die alone for no one will ever love a hideous face such as yours." Hilda screamed angrily<br />" I will not become you! You are the one who will die alone and you are the one who will never be loved by me or my father or anyone else." Erin snapped running out of the room<br />The next day Miss Hilda died in her sleep. No one was by her side and no one had loved her. When the body was taken out of the house, Erin didn't shed a tear for she was happy to have her father and no one else. All day Erin's father had shut himself up in his room and didn't come out. Erin started to worry about him because she thought he would be happy. Then she remembered the sincerity in his eyes when Miss Hilda lied there passed out from the cold. Had Michael really loved Hilda?<br />After making dinner, Erin ran up to her father's door and knocked on it softly.<br />" Father, I made dinner if you are hungry." Erin said<br />" I'm not hungry." Michael replied grimly<br />" Then I will come in and make you eat." Erin said opening the door<br />When she opened the door, Erin saw her father on the floor crying. Erin quickly rushed to her father's side and held him close.</blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-3647217049351296182009-10-24T12:20:00.000-07:002009-10-24T13:09:40.238-07:00If My Life Were A Musical...Okay, so I didn't just wake up and say that I wanted to write a blog post about what my life would be like if it were a book. No, I didn't. I was over at <a href="http://amnawrites.blogspot.com/">Amna's blog</a> and she was talking about what her life would be as a musical. Cool thing to think about right?<br /><br />So, here's how it works:<br />1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)<br />2. Put it on shuffle<br />3. Press play<br />4. For every question, type the song that's playing<br />5. When you go to a new question, press the next button<br />6. Don't lie<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Opening Credits:</span><br />Coffee's for Closers by Fall Out Boy<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Waking Up:</span><br />Move Along by The All-American Rejects<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">First Day at School:</span><br />I Hate This Part by The Pussycat Dolls<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Falling In Love:</span><br />Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes by Fall Out Boy<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Losing Virginity:</span><br />Black Cat by Mayday Parade<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fight Song:</span><br />So What by P!NK<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Breaking Up:</span><br />You Found Me by The Fray<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prom:</span><br />Wake Up Call by Maroon 5<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Life:</span><br />How to Save a Life by The Fray<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mental Breakdown:</span><br />The Scientist by Coldplay<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Flashback:</span><br />Miserable at Best by Mayday Parade<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Getting Back Together:</span><br />Thanks for the Memories by Fall Out Boy<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wedding:</span><br />Gives You Hell by The All-American Rejects<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Battle:</span><br />Dance, Dance by Fall Out Boy<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Funeral Song:</span><br />Lost by Coldplay<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ending Credits:</span><br />It Ends Tonight by The All-American Rejects<br /><br />This made me laugh!<br /><br />How about you? What songs did you in up with?Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-27541885193605399892009-10-13T17:25:00.000-07:002009-10-13T18:27:33.465-07:00Teaser TuesdayFinally I have something new to share! First off, Happy Teaser Tuesday everyone!<br /><br />Okay, I know I'm a bit late but hopefully people will still read and tell me what you think. I'm going to try to get to everyone's. My computer has been acting weird, so hopefully it doesn't crash. I have a half-day of school on Thursday so I'll be able to read and comment then, if I don't get to it now.<br /><br />Today's snippet is from <span style="font-style: italic;">Reborn</span>, my first every Science Fiction WIP. The only thing that makes it SF is that it takes place in the future and that there are "aliens".<br /><blockquote><br />Gabriel looked up to the sky. I looked up too. All I could see was a torrent of white, nothingness. There were no birds flapping their wings through the air, and the clouds had long since disappeared.<br /><br />"We should go back inside," he said, grabbing my arm. His touch felt icy to my skin. It was a new type of feeling, one I wasn't sure I wanted to feel, but I welcomed it. He had never touched me before. Gabriel had made it clear, that we shouldn't touch. His eyes slowly found mine. For seconds, minutes, hours, it seemed, we stared at each other, not speaking a word.<br /><br />We spoke with our eyes.<br /><br />Gabriel grabbed my other arm, gently this time. His fingers started traveling up and down, analyzing. Goosebumps rose on my skin, and he seemed to be fascinated by them. He tried smoothing them out, his cold hands sending warmth through my body. I felt my heart thudding against my skin. Why was his touch doing this to me?<br /><br />"Your heart," he whispered. He knew. He had to know. After being here for so long, he had to know what this meant. I knew what it meant. Though I wouldn't admit it to myself, I knew. I gulped. He closed the distance between us, until there was only a sliver of air separating our bodies.<br /><br />"It's beating so fast. It sounds so..." He paused.<br /><br />Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and placed it on my chest. The confusion in his eyes morphed into shock. At first I thought he was going to pull away, but his lips started pulling up at the corners. He was smiling.<br /><br />My voice shook, "Do you feel it?"<br /><br />He nodded, his dark curls falling in front of his eyes. "What does it feel like?"<br /><br />"Sometimes I don't even know it's there. When I am excited or scared it starts to beat rapidly. It's like...I can't think of a word to describe it," I replied.<br /><br />"It does this when you are excited or scared," Gabriel said, looking up at me from under his eyelashes. He didn't know this, but his eyes were breathing fire. I felt my cheeks flush in their presence. "Which do you feel? Excitement or fear?" He paused. "Addison, if you are frightened of me, I'll..."<br /><br />"No, Gabriel, it's not you. I'm not afraid of you. I'm just a little overwhelmed."<br /><br />His eyebrows pulled up, "Tell me, what overwhelms you?"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Your touch. Your presence. Everything about you. </span>I kept my lips sealed, even though the answers to his question were right there on the tip of my tongue. A part of me was thankful that though he was an Observer, he wasn't an expert on the language of the heart.<br /><br />When I didn't answer, Gabriel closed his eyes, and rested his head gently on my chest. He inhaled and exhaled, as if he were breathing in my heartbeats. With his other arm, he pulled me closer and my heart stuttered. He didn't say anything about it though. He just listened.<br /><br />"Thunder," he murmured.<br /><br />"What?" I asked, breathlessly.<br /><br />"I hear thunder. We have to go inside now."<br /><br />He pulled away.<br /><br />Something inside of me told me to react.<br /><br />I grabbed a hold of his hand.<br /><br />His eyes were black coals as he stared down at me.<br /><br />"Addison, what's wrong?"<br /><br />I looked down. "Please..."<br /><br />His voice was thick," Please what?"<br /><br />"Stay with me. Out here, a little longer. I know it's going to rain soon. But please. A few more seconds. I need this." <span style="font-style: italic;">I need you</span>.<br /><br /><br /></blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-49399602421684386482009-10-06T14:14:00.000-07:002009-10-06T14:50:45.636-07:00Teaser TuesdayWell, it's Tuesday yet again. And I haven't really been writing. I have been taking notes for one of my SNIs that I keep thinking about. So, I didn't think I had anything to post today but then I found this. It's from <span style="font-style: italic;">Have Mercy</span> and it's from Mercy's POV. It's a little rough, well at least I think it is but I hope you guys enjoy it.<br /><br /><blockquote>When I woke up this morning, not only was I met with the sound of the sky's tears tap dancing on the roof but I could smell something. It was a strong smell, like odor that came from the gym socks lying around in the boys' locker room, but less potent. I turned over, pressing my nose into my pillow but I could still smell it.<br /><br />Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest, and here I was getting out of bed. I slipped on my slippers and pulled open my door. The fragrance assaulted my nose and then I knew what it was.<br /><br />Something was burning.<br /><br />My mother was cooking.<br /><br />As I moved down the stairs, I stopped and looked out the window.<br /><br />I hated rain. It came and it went, leaving behind sorrow and pain in it's wake. Even when the sun came out and it was a new day, it was still there somehow, engraved in the leaves, the ground, trickling down the window. It was always there, and no amount of sun could scare it away.<br /><br />I touched the glass, and a chill resonated through my fingers. Something about this day seemed so familiar. I stood there, my toes curled in my slippers, remembering.<br /><br />Remembering the cold wet droplets, the burnt toast, and two eyes, two cold, evil eyes.<br /><br />There was only one person my mother cooked for.<br /><br />I could feel my heart skip a beat.<br /><br />I could feel a buried ache in my stomach rise from the dead.<br /><br />The closer I got to the kitchen, the stronger the pain grew. My mother was standing over the stove, her dry black hair pulled up into a loose ponytail. It bobbed up and down, as she flipped something that looked like a black saucer onto a plate. As if sensing my presence, she turned to look at me, a smile pasted under her distant brown eyes.<br /><br />"Good morning," she said. My mouth felt dry. All the memories. All the pain. It was all coming back to me. I grabbed a hold of the door frame to keep from falling over. There, sitting at the table staring at me with those familiar glassy blue eyes, was the man who I thought I would never have to see again.<br /><br />My father was out of prison. </blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-90497610919896399362009-10-05T14:43:00.000-07:002009-10-05T15:15:38.024-07:00SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2615/3674583783_ba464474a8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 428px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2615/3674583783_ba464474a8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">SUMMARY </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. </span><p style="font-style: italic;"> </p><p style="font-style: italic;">Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. </p><span style="font-weight: bold;">REVIEW </span><br /><br />I had never read anything by Maggie Stiefvater. I have read great reviews on her previous book <span style="font-style: italic;">Lament</span> and I am intrigued by the premise of the "sequel" <span style="font-style: italic;">Ballad</span>. But when I saw Kristin's review of Shiver, I knew that I had to check this book out.<br /><br />When I went to the book store, I really wanted to buy more than one book because I had enough money for two. I was going to wait to buy <span style="font-style: italic;">Shiver</span> because I had two books that I wanted to read and then I just sat there and looked at the cover. That one red dot in the mist of the blues and the whites drew me in. So long story short, I left Borders with <span style="font-style: italic;">Shiver</span> in my hand and I could not wait to get home to read it.<br /><br />I had a lot of Pre-calc homework to do and I usually am one to do my homework before I do anything else, but the book was staring at me. So I opened the book, felt the crisp pages between my fingers and began to read. And I kept reading and reading, until I realized that I seriously needed to do my homework.<br /><br />It became a routine. I would do some of my homework and then I would read some more. Soon, it became impossible to put it down. While I was reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Shiver</span>, I laughed at how cute Sam is, I cried because of his past and because I wanted these two characters to be together. I cried at how beautiful the words were, like poetry, smooth and rhythmic, how they touched my soul even though they had no hands or fingers. I love how the book itself made me shiver. It made me want to curl up under the blankets and stay there.<br /><br />And when I finished, I cried. I finished <span style="font-style: italic;">Shiver</span> last night before I went to bed. The tears wouldn't stop streaming down my face because this book was so beautiful. I've never read anything so touching, so real.<br /><br />I love the new outlook on werewolves. I love that Sam isn't your typical male love interest. He has flaws and he isn't afraid to feel.<br /><br />But I felt that his side of the story was more developed than Grace's. I found myself quickly reading through her parts, just so that I could be with Sam. This beautiful, golden-eyed, lyric-writing, sensitive, boy-who loves deeply. Ah, I love Sam, seriously I do. His past makes you want to hold him close and never let him go. And when I was reading his side of the story, I felt like he was truly there and you might think I'm crazy for being in love with a fictional character, but Sam, he is truly a gem. And I think it's going to be hard for anyone to cast the right guy to play him.<br /><br /><br />Another thing I liked about this book, was that it wasn't predictable. I could not pin down how it was going to end and when I reached the last page...wow. I've seen a lot of reviews where people are saying that this story is much like Twilight. No. I have to disagree. The only similarity I see is that a human girl is falling for a not-so human guy. That idea has been used so many times but Miss Stiefvater has done an amazing job making this story her own.<br /><br /><br />In honor of Music Monday and my book review of Shiver, here is a song that I think fits the book:<br /><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZWcKB8tLrEs&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZWcKB8tLrEs&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-21395154094113769162009-09-29T14:15:00.000-07:002009-09-29T14:23:45.863-07:00Teaser TuesdaySo, it's Tuesday. Ever since school started, I either can't write because of homework or because I can't seem to figure out how to start writing. I've been trying not to stress about it, but I NEED to write. And I did write. Well, I don't know what to think of it but it is contemporary. That's what I know for sure. There isn't a title and I don't really have a plot. I just have this character named Gina and yeah.<br /><br />So enjoy!<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>Working at Sasha's had it's ups and downs. The ups: It was a couple of blocks from my house, so I didn't have to spend money on gas or beg my brother to let me borrow his car. The pay was great and since it was a clothing store, I got a 20% discount off of jeans. The downs: The other staff members, which consisted of Amber, Lacey, Jill, and Candy were emotional wrecks and had problems everyday except for Wednesdays and Fridays-when I <span style="font-style: italic;">wasn't</span> there.<br /><br />Today, the downs of working at Sasha's outweighed the ups. My day was starting out just fine. It didn't rain, so I got to wear these cute flats that I bought at the mall last week. The poor excuse for hair that sat on my head was finally cooperating with me and my mom wasn't going around the house groaning about how fat she was, when really she was so small I could wrap her around my finger. And strangely, I found myself walking into Sasha's with a pep in my step and a smile on my face. I even put a dollar into the charity box. Okay, I won't lie. I totally took that dollar back out when no one was looking, but still, it's the thought that counts.<br /><br />I went to the back, changed into the drab black apron all of Sasha's employees had to wear and I didn't even complain once the customers started to rally in. I was helping a girl find a shirt to go with these blue sea-shell earrings she found, when the storm started. Candy and Jill flocked over to Amber, who was a red mess, as she sat on the counter. Her red curls were falling around her face, matching the scarlet tint to her cheeks.<br /><br />"What am I going to do?" she would ask and then she would sob for a few minutes, and then ramble on about something that I didn't catch. The girl with the shirt ended up leaving, once Amber literally fell out on the floor.<br /><br />Rolling my eyes, I went into each of the dressing rooms and gathered up the clothes and hangers people left behind. Lacey was filing her nails in one. She looked up at me, with her usual blank, bored expression plain on her face.<br /><br />"'Sup," she said.<br /><br />"Hey," I replied, turning to leave.<br /><br />"Her boyfriend just dumped her," she continued.<br /><br />I rolled my eyes. As if I really cared about why that girl was bawling her eyes out. I mean, this wasn't anything new. If it wasn't a broken nail or a bad test grade, it was a fight they had with their parents the night before or boys. It was mostly boys, though. And every time they ogled shyly at a cute boy walking around, I could feel myself shooting evil glares at them. They were stupid. For one, you don't ever make a guy think you're into him. Most guys, especially the good looking ones, had egos the same size as Texas. They will play off of your affections and then drop you, moving on to the next game. And the fact that Amber was crying over a guy, made me want to waltz over there and slap the crap out of her.<br /><br />"That's too bad," was all I said and then I continued doing my job, because that's what this was. A job, not some talk show where people sit around and talk about their emotions. Please. That's why they had Dr. Phil.<br /><br />"I keep thinking he was just joking with me. I mean...it was just a text message. He wouldn't break up with me...over a text message, would he?" Jill handed her another tissue, and started rubbing her back. All Candy could do for the past half-hour was shake her head.<br /><br />"You'll find someone new," she said. "I mean, didn't I see Rick checking you out yesterday. He's hot."<br /><br />"Hmm-mmm," Jill aggreed.<br /><br />"Y'all are so supportive and everything but I can't go seeing any other guy. Pete might have just..." I couldn't take it anymore. I shoved a pair of jeans back on a hanger and moved over to wear Amber and her friends stood. Their eyes widened, as they assessed my presence. Jill smiled softly, but Candy regarded me with a scowl, which I gladly returned. When my glare didn't waver, she glued her eyes to the floor and I turned my attention to Amber.<br /><br />"Will you stop crying over a guy who doesn't give a damn about you?"<br /><br />"But..." she mumbled.<br /><br />"But nothing. If you don't get up off your butt and do something productive, I'm going to call Stacy and you and I know, she'll really give you something to cry about."<br /><br />Candy flicked a strand of her platinum blond hair out of her eyes, and let loose a low chuckle. But even so, the three dispersed quicker than a forest fire. Stacy was our boss and I know most people don't like their employers, but Stacy was my idol. I'd trade my mom for her anyday. She was firm and didn't take bull from anyone, like me.<br /><br />"Who died and made her Queen Bitch?" I heard Candy mutter. I was just about to show her what a bitch was, when Amber placed her hand on my shoulder. After all the crying she's subjected me to, you'd think the girl would get the hint and back off, but now, here she was, touching my shoulder.<br /><br />"What do you want?" I asked.<br /><br />"Well..." she started,"You're tough and all...and I was wondering whether you can give me some advice. You know, about guys?"<br /><br />Her eyes were wide with hope. But really. Did I look like I had "Dr. Gina Cooper" stamped on my head.<br /><br />I guess I did. </blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-41016728818471169932009-09-28T10:13:00.001-07:002009-09-28T10:22:59.923-07:00Music MondayOkay, so I'm going to push shuffle on my iP0d and post the song that comes up first....<br /><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v6tCaEYnDfs&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v6tCaEYnDfs&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Ooh, this happens to be on the playlist for my NaNo GHOST TOWN!Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-24075868935661113712009-09-28T09:04:00.000-07:002009-09-28T09:28:10.817-07:00Let's Break Out the PitchforksIn the future, we're going to burn books. We're going to take them off the shelf and throw them in to a large bonfire. We're going to sit back and watch them burn.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />Because years from now the young adults of that generation won't need to know about curse words or drinking or smoking or sex. And these YA books today are corrupting teens' minds. That's why they go out drunk driving. That's why they smoke pot and have unprotected sex. That's why they go and get themselves killed or worse, get pregnant.<br /><br />We're going to burn books, namely YA books because we don't want that to happen to the next generation.<br /><br />WTF?<br /><br />I was on borders.com the other day and they had a list of books that were banned in school. Like <span style="font-style: italic;">To Kill A Mockingbird</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Catcher and the Rye</span> and two others I can't remember, but banning books? How medieval can you be? <br /><br />We are in the twenty first century people. Times have changed. Just because a book deals with race or sex, doesn't mean we have to ban them.<br /><br />If we read about drugs, drinking, and sex even if some books portray them in a good light or a bad one, then we are safe from it's grasp. If books that have racial slurs in them, books that talk about rape, and teenage pregnancy are gone from libraries then it'll solve everything.<br /><br />Well, let me tell you something. Whoever is in control of banning books in school need a nice big reality check. And that goes for the parents too.<br /><br />Teens are going to have sex no matter if it's in YA books or not. They're going to be doing drugs, getting pregnant and that won't give a crap if they read it in a book or not.<br /><br />So don't go around banning books because they send across messages that are "inappropriate" because they depict the lives of teens across the world. Teens are going through these things and if you don't like it, oh well. That's life. Alright.<br /><br />Glad we had that discussion.Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-40516994466846773042009-09-22T15:13:00.000-07:002009-09-22T15:44:09.732-07:002010 is the year for YAI've said this so many times, but 2010 is going to be THE year for YA. Why? Well, because The Tenners whose books are debuting in 2010 have delicious ideas that will surely become best sellers. Don't believe me? Go check out their blog over at <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/10_ers/">10_ers<br /></a><br />I have my eye on a few *coughs* The Secret Year, Sea, Harmonic Feedback, The Duff, Brightly Woven, The Body Finder, All Unquiet Things (love this title), The Iron King, Skin & Bones, The Mark...and well, why don't I just save some time and say that I love all of the books and I will be buying them when they hit the shelves.<br /><br />But let's talk about <span style="font-style: italic;">The Mark</span> by Jen Nadol.<br /><br />First off, the new cover is beautiful. I thought the old one was okay, but pink and purple are two of my favorite colors, or would you can consider that violet? Still, I like how the colors fuse together and even more mesmerizing is the premise of the story.<br /><br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif;" >Sixteen-year old Cassie Renfield has seen the mark since forever: a glow around certain people as if a candle were held behind their back.<br /><br />The one time she pointed it out taught her not to do it again, so Cassie has kept quiet, considering its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until the day she watches a man die. Mining her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person's imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.<br /><br />Cassie searches her past, her philosophy lessons, even her new boyfriend for answers, always careful to hide her secret. How does the mark work? Why her?<br /><br />Most importantly, if you know today is someone's last, should you tell? </span></blockquote>(copied from the author's website: <a href="http://jennadolbooks.com/html/mark.html">http://jennadolbooks.com/html/mark.html</a>)<br /><br />And then I read the excerpt of the story and that was like the icing on the cake. Or maybe the cherry on top of a sundae?<br /><br />So, if you want to read this book, spread the word and enter!<br /><br />Oh and here's the linkage:<a href="http://www.jennadolbooks.com/blog/?p=627"> http://www.jennadolbooks.com/blog/?p=627</a>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-56813616735810618062009-09-19T06:52:00.000-07:002009-09-19T07:04:18.963-07:00Updates on a SaturdayOkay, so I think it's time for an update on my writing.<br /><br />I've been a bit promiscuous. I have two new ideas. The other two I had before are being pushed aside for later. I might use one of them for NaNo *shrugs*<br /><br />I have started writing Mercy's side of the story for HM. You can find her snippet two post down and as for Shadow, well let's just say it's moving as slow as a snail, but it's moving nonetheless.<br /><br />My two new ideas are two different genres. One is a about a girl who is a ghost trying to pick up the pieces after dying and the other is a post-apocalyptic type thingy.<br /><br />Both of these songs have theme songs.<br /><br />The ghost story's theme song is "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. And the post-apocalyptic story's theme song is "Closer" by Kings of Leon. Yes, I have been listening to a lot of KoL. I just love Caleb's voice.<br /><br />Juggling WIP(s) is hard, but I need to do it because I need to find my story. Though I hope I turn all of my ideas into books one day, I just need to work with any and all ideas just to try them out. So I'm not going to be working on any one novel. I know it's not the wisest thing to do but hey, I'm fifteen. I'm not looking to query or anything til I'm eighteen. So I have a lot of time to be promiscuous right?<br /><br />The only thing I don't like about juggling WIP(s) is the fact that I have so many voices in my head. So many characters from different stories fighting to have their chance to shine.<br /><br />Okay, so now that you have your update of my crazy writing life, I'm going to go work on something. I actually don't know what I feel like writing today, but I'm going to go put on some music and be productive.<br /><br />Ciao!Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-49115256073774097772009-09-16T17:45:00.000-07:002009-09-16T18:09:23.152-07:00The things we say...Words are beautiful. They are like mathematical formulas. When they are added together properly, they equal a story that blows your mind. But other times, words hurt.<br /><br />In my opinion, they hurt longer than any physical pain. Because you can heal a physical pain. You can go get medicine, go to a physical therapist and heal, but words, words hurt you mentally and the mind is something so complex, so intricate, so fragile, that the right words can make it break.<br /><br />We all make mistakes. We all say things that hurt others. We are not perfect. No one is. No amount of money or fame can make you perfect. But we sometimes forget that.<br /><br />I just heard about the whole Kanye/Taylor thing yesterday from my friend who sent me this link on YouTube. I always loved watching the VMA's and any music award show but this year I haven't been watching them and so I was shocked when I heard about this whole ordeal.<br /><br />I am a Kanye fan. Yes, I know he is conceited and he doesn't say the right things a lot of the times, but I love his music. Taylor Swift on the other hand, I've never been a fan of country music. I absolutely hate it. I listen to everything from Alternative to Pop, but I can't do country music so, no I am not a Taylor Swift fan.<br /><br />But this is not about taking sides. What Kanye West did was wrong. It can't be excused, but the comments, the things people are saying on YouTube are just taking it way out of proportion.<br /><br />Right before my eyes, people were pulling the race card and calling Kanye all sorts of really uncalled for names. Yes, what he did was rude but you can not honestly tell me that you are perfect and that some of the things you do or say have not hurt anyone. We all hurt people. We all do things that we later regret.<br /><br />Kanye West is a human being. What he did was uncalled for and Taylor Swift should have been able to have her moment to shine. But I'm seriously getting tired of people bashing him. It's only making the whole situation worse.<br /><br />If you've lost all respect for Kanye, then at least respect Taylor. I mean the whole thing is all over the internet. Everyone all over the world probably seen it, and so fueling the flame isn't making anything better. Taylor probably just wants to put this behind her.<br /><br />Seriously, a lot of the things people say on YouTube are just hurtful not only to Kanye but to a lot of people. It's offensive and it hurts.<br /><br />Like I said, words are hurtful. You can use them for good or bad. In my opinion, calling someone out of their name is just so wrong. And I'm not even saying this because of this whole controversy or whatever you want to call it.<br /><br />In school, they teach us that "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything nice at all." <br /><br />People say and do hurtful things all the time, but that doesn't give you the right to do the same.Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441731331461848923.post-68536118465288141272009-09-15T14:24:00.000-07:002009-09-15T14:35:08.360-07:00Teaser TuesdayOkay, this is the first time in a very long time that I have posted a Teaser Tuesday, so I hope it doesn't disappoint.<br /><br />This is from Have Mercy and because this is a duo narrative, I decided that it is time to introduce you to my female MC. "Tallister "Mercy" Coleman. In the previous post, there is the cast of characters and you can find a little bit more about her and what she looks like. I haven't edited this or anything, so it probably lacks some description and I really don't know where the conversation between the guys came from. I'm feeling a little meh about it, so please, if it sounds a bit odd, tell me.<br /><br />Oh and here's some background information. Tallister spends the night sleeping in school on some nights because of her mother's abusive boyfriend. She's scared of him and the only reason why she picks the boy's locker room over the girl's is because it's always immediately locked and luckily for her the boy's isn't. But one of the boys happened to have a key...<br /><br /><blockquote>The door let out a loud squeal, as I pushed it open. I stood silently in the doorway, hoping that I was the only one here, like always. When I didn't hear any voices or approaching footsteps, I slid inside and locked the door behind me. It was dark, save for the one flickering light that sat above the lockers. Some were left open, setting free the pungent smell of an odor I was familiar with.<br /><br />Sweat and feet.<br /><br />Gym socks.<br /><br />Covering my nose, I moved over to my usual spot. It was in the shower room which, thankfully was right next to a door that led to the hallway. If someone came in, I could easily escape.<br /><br />Droplets of water slid down the walls from the showerhead. Drip. Drip. Drip. I slid off my sweatshirt, the chill of the room stinging my skin. Taking off the rest of my clothes, I turned on the water, and soon I was submerged into a waterfall of lukewarm water. I let it slide down my body, letting it untangle my nerves.<br /><br />The sound of the bell ringing rang through the locker room, sent relief through my veins. All the students should be out of the building and the teachers should be on their way out too. No one usually came into the boy's locker room, so I was alone.<br /><br />I was safe.<br /><br />After showering, I dried myself off with a towel and slid into some pajamas from my bag. There was a bench just outside the showers. It was as tall as me and was perfect for sleeping on. Turning off the light, I curled up into a ball on the bench and listened. Inhale. Exhale. Nothingness. It was quiet. I was alone. Everyone was gone. No yells. No screams. No hits. No drunken words. There was just peace.<br /><br />I closed my eyes.<br /><br />Inhale.<br /><br />Exhale.<br /><br />Something clicked.<br /><br />I jumped up and looked at the direction of the noise. It was coming from the far right of the locker room. The door. The knob was slowly turning and then I could hear voices. Guys voices. Of course, this <span style="font-style: italic;">was</span> the boy's locker room.<br /><br />"We are going to kick ass this weekend."<br /><br />"Yeah, they won't even know what hit 'em."<br /><br />"We'll have them crying like..." I was already moving to hide in the space between the lockers. In the rush to get away, I jammed my bare toe and let out a low squeal.<br /><br />The guys stopped talking.<br /><br />"Chico, you hear that?" I covered my mouth, hoping they would just go away.<br /><br />"Yeah, it sounded like a mouse or something." The boy "Chico" replied. I could hear footsteps. They sounded close, but I could be mistaken. I didn't want to find out. I crushed myself against the wall, and sucked in my stomach.<br /><br />"I don't see anything."<br /><br />"Al better have his ass on that field tomorrow. I wonder why he didn't show up today. He's been acting weird lately."<br /><br />"What? You think we can't win the game without him, eh?"<br /><br />"Nah, it's not that. But he is our star Quarterback..." A locker slammed shut.<br /><br />"All I know is, if he doesn't show, he doesn't show. If he does, then he does. Who gives a fuck, anyway? I sure as hell don't."<br /><br />There was silence.<br /><br />"You won't believe who I'm taking to Prom, bro."<br /><br />"Who? Is it that Stacia girl?"<br /><br />"No, it's that new girl. The one in our Physics class. Kendra."<br /><br />"<span style="font-style: italic;">Her</span>? Damn. She's <span style="font-style: italic;">muy caliente</span>. How'd you hook up with her?"<br /><br />"I don't know man, but she was all over me last night. I'm telling you bro she..." My nose started to itch, and before I knew it, I was sneezing. And it wasn't one of those graceful ones either, but it was loud-loud enough for those boys to hear it.<br /><br />"I knew someone was in here, man."<br /><br />There were those footsteps again.<br /><br />Closer.<br /><br />Closer.<br /><br />Closer.<br /><br />A shadow fell over me.<br /><br /></blockquote>Raven Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538947519732493635noreply@blogger.com6